Strength and Honor
by Marcus
Summary: **Parts 7 and 8posted!!!** X-Over with Highlander. After Buffys death, she returns, and must make decisions that will affect her greatly. The others deal with her death hard, while friends visit to mourn. *Please Read and Review!!*
1. Prologue - Part 1

Strength and honor

Disclaimer: The characters and show's aren't mine, they belong to their respected parties.

Note: This takes place after the season finale (yeah, after they killed off our favorite slayer.)

Strength and Honor

__

By: Marcus

Prologue

__

…Death is your gift…

I stared out to the horizon, watching just as the sun began to appear like a phantom, I remembered words said, like a puzzle coming together in my head. Dawn stood before me, tears welling up in her eyes, at that very moment, I understood, it was like a dead calm rushing over me, for once in so long, I felt peace within myself.

"Buffy…no." Dawn said as she shook her head at me, her eyes wide, knowing what I was thinking in my mind, what I've realized.

"Dawny, I have to." I said to my sister, she still shook her head, her eyes afraid now, terrified as she knew what I was now going to do.

"No!" Dawn said again, more sternly than before, begging me.

"Please, there's not a lot of time left, listen." I told her, holding her shoulders gently. "Dawn, listen to me…listen. I love you…I will always love you. This is the work that I have to do." I told her, tears now flowed from her eyes, creeping down her cheeks as she shook her head, she shook with sadness.

"Tell Giles that…tell Giles that I figured it out…and…I'm ok. Give my love to my friends? You'll have to take care of them now; you have to take care of each other. You have to be strong." I told her, speaking softly to her, I didn't want her last memory of me to be tactful, or of the slayer, I wanted it to be her last memory of me…her sister.

"Dawn, the hardest thing in this world…is to live in it. Be brave…live…for me." I said to her, the last thing I had to say, what my heart was telling me, telling her. I gently touch her face, feeling more than blessed still to have her in my life, I move into her, kissing the soft skin of her cheek as her tears flowed so much now.

I moved away from her, letting the gap between us grow. I gave one last look at her, the only image I wanted to bring with me into the next life was of her, maybe I'll find her again, maybe I'll find them all again. I spun around, bolting or the edge of the platform, Dawn looking on in silence as she cried freely now.

Taking one last breath, I leapt into the brilliant white light that cracked with energy and lightening, my arms outstretched, my legs together, straight, if I were an angel, I felt as if I'd soar the heavens now towards eternity. But instead I fall into the light, into the portal and I feel the energies pulling at me, tearing at me inside. But I don't scream, I lived in this world, and I have to be brave…for Dawn.

Everything goes black after. I feel myself drop into a void, feeling the pull of earth…and then nothing…

…Death is you gift…to life.

****

Part 1

Buffy Ann Summers awoke in pain, her lungs screamed for air as she shot up where she lay, her back arched as she tried to say anything, but she couldn't. she lay back down on her back, breathing heavily she opened her eyes. She squinted as the light stung her eyes, she felt the cold, hard surface she lay on. She forced her eyes open, looking beneath her as well as around her, it was the morgue.
She sat up on the slab, tossing her legs over the edge. She sat there, trying to remember something, anything. But all she felt was this awful buzz in her head, she felt like the ground was about to rise up and hit her square in the face. Her muscles ached, trembling even.

Just as it was wearing off, it hit her even harder then before, she clutched her head quickly, the pain hit her sharply in her head. She looked around, afraid, confused and still on guard. She had no idea what was going on or even what to do. She shot to her feet as the door opened, she nearly dropped to the ground, she hadn't realized how weak she really was, her legs trembled under her weight.

She saw a man walk into the room, he saw her immediately. Their eyes locked and she knew he wasn't here to hurt her. She staggered to the slab she woke up on slowly as he walked in, she never took her eyes off of him as he walked in, closing the door and locking it behind him. "Who are you?" Buffy asked, her voice was dry and sounded like a gasp for air as she felt the buzzing pain wear off.

She leaned forward on the slab, trying to concentrate on her balance. "My name is Duncan Macleod." He said, grabbing a white sheet and rushed over to her. He placed it over her body. Buffy looked down at herself to see that she didn't even have clothes on, she would have felt shocked and humiliated, but considering how she felt, she didn't seem to really care right now.

"What's happening to me?" Buffy asked Duncan, her voice was weak and strained. She lowered her head, trying to breath more, feeling like her lungs weren't using enough air. Duncan looked around the room, out the small window in the door before rushing back to her "I'll explain everything later, but right now, we have to get out of here. You have to trust me." He said to her.

Buffy looked up at him, she was still so confused and very afraid. She nodded all the same, she didn't have any choice right now but to trust him. Duncan placed an arm around her as he led her to the door, he looked out, making sure it was clear of people in the hallway before they made their move.

Thirty minutes later she was in a black car, A 62 Thunderbird by the look of it. She lay down in the back seat where Duncan had put her, she was cold now, and still terrified. Funny, it had been awhile since she felt this afraid. It was so often that she fought demons and otherworldly beings that they had usually feared her, she was always strong and brave. 

Duncan got in his seat and slammed the door to his car shut, he put the key in the ignition and looked back to Buffy "You doing ok so far?" he asked. Buffy just nodded at him, curling up in the seat, holding the sheet close to her body. She closed her eyes as she felt the car vibrate with the engine starting. A second later she felt them moving, pulling away from the alley where the car was parked.

The only thing she could remember right now was a face and a name, Dawn.

3 Days later 

The funeral was sad for them, it was the one time they never wanted to be alive. Willow stood next to Tara, tears running down her face, Tara kept her arm around her the whole time, never letting her get more than arms length away. Anya too was crying into Xanders shoulder, while Xander himself kept a strong face on, but underneath he was screaming and thrashing in sorrow.

Giles stood next to Dawn in front of the head stone, Dawn was crying almost constantly since her sister had died, they couldn't have blamed her. She lost her mother, and now her only remaining family was gone, leaving her alone.

Giles simply stared at the plot, he always feared this day might come, and now it was here. The girl he saw as the closest daughter he would ever have was dead, he stood there over her grave. He placed his hand on Dawns shoulder, they were now all the family she had left.

Spike and Angel were there too, standing in the shade behind them under the weeping willow tree, Spike was holding back his tears as hard as he could. Angel was no worse off either, he stood there as though he were about to drop to his knees, exploding in anger and cries of sorrow.

Cordellia stood next to him, her arm around his shoulders, keeping him comfort, tears crept from her eyes too, but they were silent ones. Gunn and Wesley came too, dressed in black they stood strong and silent.

Unknowing to them, not far from them, Buffy watched from behind a tree, she looked at them as she was pressed against the bark of the old tree, she remembered them now, all of them. She wished more than anything to walk up to them, stop their sadness and hold them all tightly, but she couldn't. To them she was dead, she was immortal now and it would only complicate their lives further than it was already. She cried as she looked at Dawn crying, her sister standing next to Giles.

She couldn't take it anymore, she had to leave before she lost her last hold of restraint and ran out to them. She moved away from the tree and slowly began to walk away.

After a few minutes everyone broke away, saying his or her good-byes to Buffy. Angel and Spike made their way to the car under cover of the blankets that Xander and Cordellia help hold for them. Giles remained where he was, watching them go. Dawn went with Angel and Cordellia to his car.

He looked around the large cemetery, so many dead, after all she did and still it didn't seem to be enough, and now she too rested here. 

He was about to walk away to the cars when he noticed someone walking away to the far side of the cemetery. She looked just like Buffy almost from the distance he saw her from, blond hair tied back into a tail, a coat that came down a little past her knees. He couldn't see this person to well from where he was, so he began to walk in her direction.

Buffy walked up to Duncan, the place where she had asked him to wait. He looked at her as she walked up to him "You were right, it was hard to see them and do nothing." She said to him, stopping just a few feet from him. She looked down to the grave she asked him to wait for her in the car.

__

Joyce Summers

Beloved Mother and friend.

"We lost her, then they lost me…my sister lost me. I can't imagine what's going through her mind." Buffy said to him as she stared at the headstone. Duncan came up to her a little closer, looking at her with his hands in his coat pockets "In time she'll be able to move on, she still has your friends to help her, and from what you've told me, she'll be just fine." He said to her.

Buffy looked up at him, her eyes were sad from this decision to leave them like this "I know, but I'll never leave them completely." She said. Duncan smiled lightly "I know, we never do." 

Duncan began to walk to his car that was parked not far from them "Don't take to long, we have to leave soon." He said to her as he walked. Buffy nodded, watching him leave. She watched him, making a mental picture of him, his short, jet black hair, his long duster coat, those silk like shirts he seemed to like wearing so much, his height, the strong features of his face, he was quite the handsome man.

She looked back to her mothers grave and knelt down before it, touching the cold stone, tracing the letters to her mothers name. "I'm sorry I haven't come by to visit in awhile mom, slayer stuff." She said, forcing a weak smile for a second, using the same excuse she would always use when they would argue. "I want you to know that I have to leave…alone, Dawn is safe now, and I know that they all will. They're family, we all are, and…and I want you to know that…I will always be there when they need me the most. Even if I'm not supposed to, I will…somehow." She said.

Buffy stood up, kissed her hand and leaned over, pressing it to the stone "Good-bye…I love you." She whispered before she walked away to the car with Duncan waiting for her.

Giles walked up, seeing this mystery woman walking away from Joyce's grave to a black car. Damn, he was still to far from her to get a good look at her. As the car door opened, the woman turned back to face the grave, looking one last time. Giles could have swore he saw Buffy looking back, but it couldn't be. He dismissed the idea as soon as it came to him, calling it a wishful thought. 

He watched the car drive off as the blonde woman got in, closing the door. He walked away, heading back to the others. I couldn't have been Buffy, she died. She died bravely, accepting her death and dying with honor.

He walked back to the cars before long, the others were there waiting for him. "Are you ok Giles?" Tara asked, walking up to him, her arms crossed looking down, unable to look him in the eye. Giles raised her head up with his finger under him chin "Yes Tara, I'm alright, I just…" he began, but as he was about to tell her that he thought he saw Buffy. He decided against it, it was best to let them deal with what they had in their hearts now "…I just needed a few minutes alone." He said.

Tara nodded "We're all ready to go back to the house for the reception, are you ready to go?" she asked him, still looking him in the eyes. Giles nodded "Yes, let's be off shall we?" he asked as he walked next to her back to the cars.

The drive to the house felt long, like it was hours instead of thirty minutes. Xander drove his car with Cordellia, Anya and Wesley with him as well. They were all quiet, Anya looked to the road ahead of them as she leaned on his shoulder while he drove. He still had trouble believing it, she was dead. He always figured that even with her estimated 'short life-span' that she would always live for so much longer. She had done so much, more than what any slayer had done…and now she was gone.

The group walked into the house, Angel moved through the door first with Spike running in behind him with a light cloud of smoke following him. The others walked into the room to see someone they hadn't seem before "Hi folks, come on in, I've got everything setup for you." He said, everyone stared at him and his 'colorful' fashion sense. 

"Uh, everyone, this is Loren, a friend." Angel said, walking up to him. Willow shook her head, remembering him now, she met him when she went to Los Angeles to tell Angel and the others the news of Buffys death. "Hey Loren." Willow said, waving at him, although she spoke kindly, the expression on her face told other words though.

Everyone said their 'hello' to Loren as they entered, he had set up everything for them, food and drinks, even music for them that really helped them relax. After awhile Dawn and Loren were talking, as usual, Loren was the one that was confided in from others. He sat next to her as she talked to him, he sat with his leg crossed over the other and a drink in his hand.

"Dawn…listen to me, your sister, she did it to save you. She loved you, she still loves you kiddo. It might not feel like it now, but…you will be happy again in your life." Loren said, Dawn looked at him, his red horns, green skin, he rather looked frightening to her at first, but after they began to talk she started to like the guy "Thanks Loren, but I still keep thinking about what happened." She said, looking just as sad as before.

Loren, the host, leaned back "Sing." He said, Dawn looked at him with a confused look "What?" she asked. Loren motioned with his finger "Sing, it's what I do, I can see what's in your soul." He said "And see what happened, naturally." He said, getting a little proud of himself.

Dawn thought for a little, she didn't know what to sing, or know that many songs by heart for that matter. Loren eventually raised his hand "May I make a suggestion?" he asked. Dawn shrugged, nodding a little. Loren moved in closely and whispered into her ear. As it was, Dawn knew this song, when Faith was around before she went 'nuts', "I know that song." She said.

She took a breath, thinking of the words…

We walk the narrow path…beneath the smoking skies. Sometimes…we can barely tell the difference between the darkness…and light. Do we have Faith…in what we believe? The truest test, is when we cannot…when we cannot see. __

I hear a pounding feeling in the streets below, and…and the women cried, and the children moaning. There's something wrong, and it's hard to believe…that…love will prevail, oh.

It won't rain all the time, the sky won't fall forever. And thought the light seems lost, your tears won't fall forever.

Oh…when I'm lonely, I lay awake at night, and I wish…you were here…I miss you.

Can you tell me…is there something more to believe in? Or is this all there is? And the pounding feeling, in the streets below, and…and a window breaks, and a woman falls, there's something wrong it's…it's hard to believe that love will prevail!

It won't rain all the time…the sky won't fall forever. And though the light seems lost…your tears won't fall…your tears won't fall…your tears won't fall…forever.

Last night I had a dream…you came…into my room. You took me…into…your arms. You were smiling…and kissed me, and telling me to still… believe.

(The failing emptiness against the burning sea in which we set out darkest aside.) And then…I fell asleep in…your arms. When I awoke…I cried again…for you were gone, oh, can you hear me?

No it won't rain all the time, the sky won't fall forever. And though the night seems long…your tears won't fall forever. 

It won't rain all the time, the sky won't fall forever. And though the light seems lost…your tears won't fall…your tears won't fall…your tears won't fall…forever.

(Note: Jane Sibbery –_ It Can't rain all the time_)

Dawn ended the song to find everyone was silent and looking at her, that song reminded them all of what happened, as well that it reminded Dawn of her sister. Loren looked at her, he saw what she had seen when Buffy had died and he was at a lack for words for once.

Dawn wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up, she rushed out of the room quickly, verging on the edge of breaking into sobs and cries. Angel walked up to Loren as Willow and Tara went after Dawn. "What was that about?" Angel asked him, sitting where Dawn had been. Loren looked at Angel, still stunned by what he had experienced as Dawn sang.

"Angel, Dawn…from that girls perspective, and with everything that's happened lately…this really hit her hard. I saw how Buffy died…it was…selfless." Loren said, trying to sum up words that still didn't seem to define what he saw. Angel sat back in his seat, since Willow had told them about Buffy's death at his hotel, he had remained as calm as he always did, and he was screaming inside horribly.

Dawn sat on the back porch crying, she shook with each breath. The sobs wouldn't stop as she buried her face in her hands, trying to muffle the cries she gave away loudly. Willow and Tara walked up behind her and sat on either side of her. Willow rubbed Dawns back gently as Tara sat with her knees up, resting her hands on them as she looked at Dawn with concern.

"Dawn…" Willow began, but as she spoke, Dawn jerked, causing Willow to yank her hand back quickly. "Go away!" Dawn yelled at them through her cries. Willow looked at Tara, silently asking her love to leave her and Dawn for a moment. Tara nodded and stood up, walking away she looked over her shoulder to Willow, whom was in turn looking back at her with worry on her face.

Willow looked back at Dawn who had her head lowered, her hair covering her face. "Willow stood up and moved to be in front of Dawn, kneeling down on the lawn "Dawn, listen to me…" she began, but Dawn shook her head, covering her ears as she rocked back and forth. "Dawn…" she said, but Dawn simply began to hum to herself.

Willow was trying to be calm, be strong for her like Buffy would have for all of them, but she couldn't. She grabbed Dawn by the wrists and removed her hands from her ears, Dawn stopped, she stopped rocking and humming as she looked right at Willow in shock for her sudden action of what she knew as brute force. "Dawn listen to me!" Willow yelled at her.

Dawn looked down at Willow, she saw the redheads eyes glistening with tears, "She's gone and I'm sorry for it Dawny, I am." Willow said, Dawn could hear her voice shake under her words. Dawn lowered her head again as she wiped her tears, Willow let go of her hands, crossing her arms, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

"It reminds me of her Willow, and it hurts…" Dawn said, looking back up at her. Willow nodded her head "Yeah, it does hurt doesn't it?" she said, letting her tears flow through now too.

Dawn burst again, sobbing and crying she leaned towards Willow, throwing her arms around the wiccan she buried her face in her neck, crying. Willow held Dawn tight, as she…they cried together, tears flowed from their eyes "It's ok Dawny, it's ok." Willow said, gently stroking her hair. They remained there for the next while, taking all the time they needed. After awhile, Willow sat next to Dawn again, her arms around her, holding her closely. She kissed her gently on the forehead, and rubbed her shoulder.

"Where'd you learn that song?" Willow asked her with a soft voice. Dawn looked up at her, she seemed to be doing much better now, at least for now. "From Faith, when she was staying here before, I walked in on her listening to that song instead of the usual heavy music she listens to, she taught me the words…it always reminded me of Buffy." Dawn said.

Buffy and Duncan drove down the street to the airport, he was taking her under his wing, and the first thing they had to do was leave Sunnydale. She hated this, leaving. Just about every part of her wanted to stay, but she knew deep down that Duncan was right, it would just make things far to complicated for her friends, as well as endanger their lives. She wouldn't allow that to happen purposely, people have been hurt from their involvement with her in the past, even killed.

Before long the car was parked and they gathered their bags, there wasn't a lot really, especially for Buffy, she only had a backpack over her shoulder. She managed to sneak into her room at night while no one was there and take a few clothes from her closet and dresser quickly.

They walked into the terminal, everything had already been setup by Duncan over the phone, the tickets were all in order and their flight was on time. They went through security rather quickly, Buffy was surprised, she had seen his sword, she wondered how he got the blade past the detector. As they continued onwards to their plane, se leaned closely to him "How'd you get the sword through?" she asked. Duncan smiled as he put on his sun-glasses "Trade secrets." He said to her.

Buffy stayed back a few steps, glaring at him with false anger "Wise ass." She muttered under her breath with a smile and catching back up to him as they walked to the plane together. Buffy stowed her bag into the overhead compartment and sat beside the window, all she could think about what was ahead for herself, and her friends.

"You're thinking about them aren't you?" Duncan asked her, Buffy looked out the window to the runway, nodding "Yeah, this just feels wrong to me." She said, looking at him for a moment "It hurts to leave." She added. Duncan rested his head back in his seat, he knew something about the pain she was feeling, the memories that seemed to hurt you deep down "In time it will be easier, I'll be there to help you through it." He said, turning his head to find her looking at him.

Buffy looked down, breaking eye contact, being shy "Thanks." She said, smiling shyly. She looked back out the window as the plane was beginning to speed up down the runway. "Can I ask one thing though?" She asked. Duncan nodded to her, ready for any question she had for him, Buffy thought for a moment of what to say "How was it that you were there right when I woke up? Or in Sunnydale for that matter?" she asked.

Duncan sighed deeply as her ran a hand through his short hair "Well, I was asked by a friend of mine, Joe, to come over to pick up an item that he and the people he works for have been looking for. When I read in the saw and heard that you died after that…bizarre night, I had a hunch, more like checking out if you were immortal or not." He said.

Buffy smirked a little "Good thing you did, who knows what trouble I'd have gotten into by now. And what was that item you had to pick up anyway?" she asked. Duncan thought for a moment, was she ready to know about the watchers just yet? Given the past history between watchers and immortal it may not be a good idea, "An old book, a chronicle on one of the oldest immortals still alive. Don't worry, when you're ready, I'll tell you what I know about everything, 'till then, just lay back and follow my lead.

Buffy smiled, accepting his explanation, she looked out the window once more as the plane lifted off.

As the plane lifted off, she could see the town more and more until it was all in her sight, she touched the window gently, feeling pain in her heart "See you around." She whispered to herself.

End part 1


	2. part 2-Setting the pieces

Strength and Honor part 2
    
    Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me, they belong to their respected parties and creators.

Note: Still takes place after the season finale. And thank you Banquo for the help! J

****

Strength and Honor 

part 2

By: Marcus

New York – 3 weeks later

"Lunge! Parry! Strike! Block! Attack!" Duncan yelled as he and Buffy went through one of their daily training exercises. Buffy did as Duncan had instructed her as he walked around her, stopping her to correct mistakes in her posture and positions of her body and sword. But Duncan was thinking to himself that she was doing exceptionally well in her progress, it had already been three weeks since they arrived in New York and her ability to learn and master weapons was really showing.

After another few minutes of practice Duncan took his sword from the office of his gym and approached her, positioning himself in front of her with his sword up, standing in defensive posture. "Attack." He said. Buffy looked at him in question, this was new, so far he had instructed her, trained beside her, but now he told her to attack him. "Don't worry, just do what you were just doing and I'll move along with you." Duncan said. Buffy nodded "Ok."

Buffy stood in preparation for the drill, he sword brought up with the blade coming down across her upper body, her weight well distributed along her legs. There was a silent pause, waiting for the first move was always the longest in a drill, a fight also. 

Breaking the wait, Buffy lunged forward, aiming for Duncans chest in the blink of an eye. Duncan leapt back, she was quicker than he had first thought. As she brought her sword around for another strike, Duncan blocked it swiftly. Buffy leapt back as the position reversed, Duncan swung for her midsection twice before she repositioned herself and blocked low. Duncan surprised her as his foot slide out and hit her behind the knee.

She winced with a yelp as she dropped to her knees, before she knew it, Duncans blade was at her throat. She looked up at him, she was a little more than disappointed with herself, Duncan smiled at her with cheer "You're dead." He said before backing away a few steps bringing his sword down to his side and holding his hand out to her.

Buffy looked at his hand for a moment before taking it. She shot to her feet in an instant, looking into his eyes. "You did good, you're fast, and your technique is well developed, but you have to work more at it." Duncan told her as he walked back to the office with her close behind. "Don't worry Buffy, the more you practice at it, and the more you'll learn, soon you'll be able to hold your own." He said, sitting at his desk and stowing his sword.

Buffy sat on the chair by the wall, nodding silently "I'm usually good with a sword, I've fought with one before. I'm just feeling…off. I don't know what it is." She said to him. Duncan looked up at her "You've fought with one before?" he asked. Buffys eyes widened for a moment as she looked away, she forgot that she hadn't told him that she was a slayer, or was a slayer. She really didn't know right now, but it didn't stop her from going out and patrolling the streets at night.

"Uh, yeah, practice, past time, you know, something to do." Buffy said, finding a lack of a cover up for her slip of the tongue. Duncan didn't think much of it as he looked back at the paper work in front of him. Buffy breathed deeply, looking around for a few moments. "I'll go shower and go to Joes." She said, feeling like she had to get out or go nuts. Duncan nodded "Don't get drunk now." He said with a smirk on him face.

As Buffy was walking out of the office she turned around, looking at him with narrow eyes in false frustration "Very funny." She said before she left the room and went up the elevator.

Half an hour later, Buffy was in her small area of the apartment that was her room, the space that was behind the spiral stairs leading to the roof, Duncan had set it up for her. It was a little small, but it had a nice view of the outside. She slipped into a pair of Jeans and a shirt, it hung around her upper body with a tight fit, accenting her curves. She walked over to the couch and snatched up her coat and tossed it on over her shoulders.

As she was heading for the elevator she stopped a few feet from the door. She had the feeling that she was forgetting something. When she felt the lining of her coat she sighed in frustration, her sword, she'd forgotten it again. She rushed back to her room to fetch it quickly. As she was walking back she hide it carefully under her coat as Duncan had taught her to, she felt the presence of another immortal near.

She dismissed it as she thought it was Duncan coming up from the stairs, but when the door opened she stuck her head around the corner to talk to him for a moment. Who she saw wasn't Duncan "Hey, I'm…" she began, but she saw a woman instead, thin like her, but dark, black hair that was short. "You're not Duncan." Buffy said, backing away from the woman slowly.

The woman walked towards her, looking angry and curious at the same time. She had the feeling of wisdom, yet an immature attitude to her. "No, and neither are you, where is he?" the woman asked, walking towards her still, but keeping a cautious distance from Buffy. 

Buffy felt the couch with the back of her foot, and stopped moving "He's down in his office." She said to the woman "Who are you?" she asked. The woman stood less than five feet away from Buffy, hand on her hips and staring at Buffy. "My name is Amanda Montrose, and what did you do to Duncan?" she demanded.

Buffy shook her head, eyes wide a little more "Me? I didn't do anything." She said. Amanda smiled at her; the curiosity remained while the caution vanished and was replaced with a good attitude "Don't worry darling, I was just playing with you, I talked to him downstairs awhile ago, he told me about you." She said. Buffy loosened up and sighed with relief. She was realizing that the immortal life was going to take a little more getting used to than she first thought.

Amanda walked up to her and held out her hand to Buffy "Pleased to meet you." She said with a smile. Buffy smiled as well, giving her a wicked look "You do that often?" she asked, shaking her hand. Amanda waved her hand and laughed softly "Oh, no darling." She said.

Buffy patted her coat off a little "Good, I'd hate to think I'd have to fight another so soon." She said. Amanda smiled with a shrug "After awhile, you learn to live with it…for the most part." She said. Amanda noticed that Buffy was ready to go out someplace, she noticed the coat and all "Where are you off to?" she asked,

Buffy looked down at herself and back at Amanda quickly "Oh, yeah, I was going to go out to Joes, get a drink, talk to him." She said gingerly and with cheer. Amanda smiled "I'll come with you, we have to talk, get to know one another." She said with a perky attitude. Buffy smiled, letting her arms raise and drop to her sides lazily "Sure." She chirped.

Sunnydale

Dawn lay in her small makeshift bed soundly for once. She was staying over with Willow and Tara for the next couple of nights until Giles was able to set up a suitable room for her at his place. She woke up suddenly, breathing a little quickly. She got up quietly as she saw Willow and Tara were sleeping still in each others hold. 

Dawn went into her bag and rummaged through the clothes and items she had in it. After a minute she took out a frame, small and rectangular. The picture was of all of them. Willow and Tara, Anya and Xander, and in the center was her, Giles and…Buffy standing behind where she sat. All smiling from a happier time. She stood up and walked over to the window and took a seat beside it, looking out to the stars.

She looked over to her two friends and saw them still undisturbed in their sleep. Dawn couldn't sleep again so she dressed in some warm clothes and sneaked out the door quietly. She walked out the college living area quickly, not wanting to attract any attention. Sure, she knew this was a stupid idea to go out at night alone, but she didn't seem to care about that.

She followed the street until she arrived at the cemetery. She wandered past trees and grave markers slowly, holding a stake in her pocket and wearing a cross around her neck, Buffys cross. 

After awhile she arrived at the weeping willow tree, seeing Buffys grave off to the side of it. But she stopped just a ways back from it as she saw Spike there. She crept up close a little as she heard him talking.

"The funeral, well, as you know luv, it was hard on all of us, especially your little sis and Giles…" he said, Dawn couldn't hear the next sentence that followed, but it was something personal "…Giles is trying to get custody over Dawn, I think we all know what would happen to her if he doesn't, either a foster home or your bloody estranged father." He said.

Dawn leaned against the tree as she watched and listened to him "I keep thinking about that morning when we lost you, I blame myself, as I should. I went up there before you managed to and tried to save Dawn. Tried…I should have, I made a bleeding promise to you and…and I failed you." He said. "I don't know if you know or not, but when I saw you lay there on that pile of junk, dead…I broke down. I couldn't help but cry and cry." He said, he now noticed that Dawn was behind him, he could smell her blood.

"But I still intend to hold my promise to you Buffy, I'll protect her…'till the end of the world." He said, loud enough for Dawn to hear him. He stood up and turned around quickly to see her stand fully on her feet "Hey cupcake, couldn't sleep?" he asked her. Dawn took a deep breath and nodded "I…had a dream." She said to him, hesitant to go any further than that.

Spike took out a fag and lit it up, taking a puff from it. "I know the feeling." He said "I keep running that night over in my head, and it always drives me nuts." He said. Dawn walked towards him, coming next to him looking down at the headstone "I miss her so much…sometimes I feel like she's not dead, like she's going to walk through the door any moment and run up to me…hold me, kiss me and just say everything's going to be alright."

Spike looked at her silently, listening on every word Dawn said. "But…I-It's not going to happen, she's here, dead, under all this dirt." She said "And she's never going to hold me again."

Spike hesitantly moved his hand up, bringing it to her shoulder, he waited a moment, wondering if he ought to take hold of her, be there for her. After a minute he gave up and rested his hand on her shoulder "We're all still here for you Dawn, me too." He said. Dawn smiled sadly as she touched his cold hand for a moment. She walked to the headstone and kissed her hand, and pressing it to the stone where her name was on it.

She rose back up to her feet, and walked over to Spike. "You hungry luv?" he asked her, Dawn shrugged, not really knowing if she was or not. Spike huffed and tossed his smoke away "Well I am, c'mon, a walk ought to tire you out anyway." He said, taking her with his arm around her shoulder and leading her away from the cemetery. 

As the two walked away, eyes watched them, the color jade. A woman with long raven black hair, standing at 5"9, he physique was thin, slender and strong. She watched curiously as she had been doing for the last day since she had arrived. She particularly watched spike closely, the vampire who was aligned with other people, and fought demons. After watching them leave, she sped away into the night air, into the woods and into the void.

Anya woke up to find that Xander wasn't in bed next to her. She sat up, using the sheets to cover herself as she looked around the room. After a minute of waiting and thinking, she decided to get out of bed herself and see what he was up to. She tossed the sheets aside, revealing her total form in the nude. She got up from the bed and tossed on her robe, tying it at the waist.

She waked out of their room to find the room barely lit, Xander was sitting at the window looking out to the city. "Xander? Why are you up this early?" she asked him curiously and concerned, especially when she saw him take a drink from a beer. What really made her concerned was that Xander never drank, it had something to do with his father.

Xander put the beer down and kept his gaze to the outside, the lights of the city. "Couldn't sleep." He said blatantly. Anya walked up to him and sat next to him, putting her hand on his. "You had that dream about her again didn't you?" she said. Xander looked at her, nodding silently "I keep seeing her lay there…dead. And I keep waking up with that horrible feeling inside." He said to her, referring to Buffy. 

Anya leaned forward and kissed him gently, she pulled back a little and looked him straight in the eye "It's been almost three weeks straight now. I really think you should see one of those…what do you call it…head shrinkers?" she said, trying to find a proper term for a therapist. Xander smiled lightly as he leaned forward and returned the kiss.

He looked at her lovingly "Maybe later, right now I just want to…I don't know what I want right now except you here close to me." He said, looking at her with a hint of sorrow in his eyes, Anya knew him pretty well, this was one of those close moments that defines a person emotionally in a deep way. She looked at him and hugged him, holding him closely "I will be with you beyond eternity Xander, I promise." She said to him.

Xander closed his eyes and smiled "I do too Anya." He said, abiding himself by the same promise. Anya stood up holding his hands in hers "Come to bed now." She said gently, leading him away to the bedroom.

New York

Buffy and Amanda walked into Joes bar to see him on the stage playing his guitar. Buffy and Amanda walked tot he table closest as he stopped when he saw them coming to him. He put down his guitar and smiled at them "Hello ladies, how you two doing?" he asked, walking to the bar that wasn't far from him.

"We're doing fine Joe." Amanda said as he returned with a drink for Buffy, her usual whenever she comes by, a light beer, only one. Buffy took the drink and took a sip as they took a seat with him at the table.

"So, Buffy, you consider my offer?" Joe asked her. Amanda looked at Buffy oddly "What offer?" she asked, already lost in the conversation. Joe and Buffy looked at her, Joe smiled his usual smile of kindness and somewhat all knowing attitude "Well, Buffy here is gonna have to start a new life sooner or later, and she's been helping out around here a lot from time to time, so…I asked if she'd be interested in running a bar I'm going to try opening out of town." He said.

Amanda's eyes widened and she looked over to Buffy "Oh darling, you'd be wise to accept such a generous offer, that could help you with the more important things in life, like money." She said with a smile. Joe chuckled to himself as Buffy looked at Amanda with a raised eyebrow, she reminded her a lot of Cordellia. The sense of style, fashion and money seemed to be what she really cared about, at least from what she knew of her at the time.

"Well…" Buffy said, looking at her drink "…I accept, but under one condition." She said, but wanting to control a part of the deal. Joe nodded, motioning with his hand to Buffy. But before she could proceed, Amanda looked at her watch and stood up "Sorry darling, but I promised Duncan that I'd meet him in a little while, later." She said, rushing to the door. Buffy watched her leave and glanced over at Joe with a bemused look on her face "Is she always like that?" she asked.

Joe nodded "Knowing her, she's got some job to do. She's a thief by the way, well, former thief. Mac's got her going through rehab for thieves." He said jokingly. Buffy looked at him seriously now "Before I ask my exception, I need to know, were you able to do the favor I asked you?" she asked, hoping for an answer she wanted to hear. 

Joe stood up and walked to the bar, his back to Buffy. He looked at her over his shoulder "Yeah, I managed to get a report on your sister and friends back in California." He said. Buffy shot to her feet and walked towards him in a hurried rush "Well? Are they ok?" she asked, frantic for an answer. Joe reached behind the counter and gave her a think folder "I got photos and files on them for the past three weeks, especially on your sister Dawn." He said. 

Buffy saw the folder and quickly snatched it from him, she held it firmly and gently "Thank you Joe." She said, looking up at him. Joe turned to her and smiled "Hey, since when can I resist a pretty womans plea?" he joked. Buffy smiled at him and gave a kiss on the cheek "Lucky me." She said.

She went to sit alone in the far corner of the bar as a few others were entering now, Joe looked at her walk "What's the exception?" he asked, remembering her condition to the exception of the job offer. Buffy turned around to look at him "I want to run the bar in California." She said. 

Joe didn't answer, just looked at her with a sigh "I know Mac is gonna have words with me now." He grumbled as he walked to his customer.

Buffy sat at the table and opened the folder. The first thing she took were the photos, there were a few packs of them, the first was of Giles and some of the others, Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya…Dawn. She even saw Dawn and Spike around each other, Buffy smiled at that, she was grateful that he was still around for her, he did promise to protect her until the end of the world after all.

She saw their moods, faces. She knew then how hard her death had hit them, and it hurt her so much to look at these photos even. She went to the photos of Dawn. She pulled out the small stack and flipped through them. She saw the way she was, her mood, Giles picking her up from school. Willow talking to her on a bench by a park. Her mind was already made up, she was going back, but it was going to be more difficult than she wanted it to be. She had to stand by the immortal rules…for now. 

She knew that she couldn't let them know who she really was, or that she was alive still. But she had to be there for them somehow. She read over the reports that were made by the watchers. Spike was…an enigma to them, go figure, they didn't know about the demons and vampires. She read through the others as well as the situation in the town of Sunnydale, there were a lot of lots and buildings for sale, it was a good spot for her to open a bar there, right in town. All she had to do now was tell Duncan, and he was going to be against this all the way most likely.

Amanda sat next to Duncan at the dinner table in the restaurant, eating fine cuisine (as she always wanted to.) "So, what do you think of Buffy?" Duncan asked her, taking a sip of his wine. Amanda swallowed her food and nodded as she wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin "I like her, but of course she needs help with her sense of fashion, but she's…different somehow, there's a feeling to her that I can't put my finger on."

Duncan nodded "Tell me about it, I've only been teaching her for a little over three weeks and she's already reaching the point where I almost can't teach her anything more, but there's something that's holding her back. And she is different like you said, but physically…she's more than she seems." He said. Amanda looked at him, curious as to what else there was to know about this new student of Duncans "Do tell." 

Duncan chewed a piece of his food and another sip of wine followed "Well, for one, she's stronger than I am. The first time we fought in the mat, she nearly knocked me out in the first ten seconds. And she learns really quick, the moment I gave her a sword, she seemed to know how to use it like the back of her hand." He said. Amanda nodded, it was odd for just on young woman "But what's that you said about her 'missing something'?" she asked.

Duncan sat back straight and looked at her "Well, I know for a fact that she can do better, and I mean way better than she's already been doing, but it's like she isn't all there. Like she's grown up to quickly for her age, and she's…lost something inside of her, I just can't put my finger on it." He said.

Amanda looked at him with concern, he didn't even know this young person for a month and already he was concerned greatly about her. Then again he always trusted some people he befriended quickly, he has a big heart. "Duncan, I think you should talk to her, maybe you can't figure it out because you don't know the whole story." She said.

Duncan leaned forward towards her "I suppose so, she seems like the weight of the world rest of her, and…it wears her down so much. A few times already I found her awake at night, looking out to the sunrise. Something about her past is just to much for her to let go." 

Los Angeles

Cordellia and Winifred stood outside the door of Angels room, he hadn't come out in almost a week now, unless there was a crisis, but right after, he'd vanish right away. "Should we go in and see him?" Cordellia asked, not knowing what to do. Fred shrugged "I don't know, I don't know much of anything right now…think we can get him a taco?" she asked, rambling and becoming uneasy.

Cordellia shook her head "Come on." She said, waving towards her with her hand as they walked downstairs to the lobby.

They found Wesley and Gunn downstairs going over research on their next big case, another murder and mystery. They looked up at them as they walked towards them, Cordellia rested her hand on the desk, tapping her fingers as Fred stood beside her silently, shyly even.

"We have to talk about Angel, he hasn't been the same since we came back from Sunnydale." Cordellia said, stating the painfully obvious. Wesley put down his book and sighed, Gunn nodded as he looked to Wesley and Cordellia "Hey, she's right man, just when he gets his act together, this happens and he comes crashing down again." He said.

Wesley nodded "You're right, he needs us now, now especially. Who wants to go in there and talk to him?" he asked. The moment he asked, everyone went silent. Except for Fred who raise her hand shyly, Wesley looked at her "Yes Winifred?" he asked "You volunteering?" he added. Fred nodded "Well, yeah, I guess so." She said in almost a whisper. Everyone nodded to one another "Best of luck then." Gunn said as he walked off into the back room.

Fred looked at Cordellia as Wesley and them went upstairs to Angels room. Once there, Fred gently tapped at his door "Yes?" they heard him say, his tone was frustrated and impatient. The three of them looked at each other, almost afraid. Cordellia motioned with her thumb pointed at the door as she jerked her head to the side towards it. Fred looked like she was about to pass out "A-Angel? I-it's Fred, I'm coming in." she said, and took hold of the door handle and turned it. 

She walked into the room to find it a mess, she couldn't even see the floor because it was littered with papers. The furniture was damaged or littered with clothing or otherwise. The room was dark as she calmly walked through the mess "Angel? Where are you?" she called out.

"I never got to say goodbye…" Angel said, standing in front of the window, silent and dark, concealed in the shadows. Fred turned around to see him there, her long dark hair swung over her shoulders "What?" she asked. Angel turned his head to face her "She didn't say goodbye Fred…now I never will." He said.

Fred looked down to the floor and knelt, she picked up one of the papers and held it up closely to her face so she could see it. "Is this her? Buffy?" she asked him. Angel kept silent now, not moving or answering her, she looked around to the other papers, most of them were drawings of her, Buffy.

"Leave me alone." He said finally, breaking this uncomfortable silence. Fred looked at him, she was nervous as she still was around people, but around Angel she seemed a little less uneasy "No, talk to me…don't let yourself be alone." She said. Angel slowly took hold of a lamp near him and threw it violently against the wall, shattering it "GO AWAY!" he screamed. 

Winifred jumped back in a scare, she had seen him angry and violent, but never to his friends intentionally, not to her "N-No." she said, stuttering it out, afraid a little. Angel turned around to look at her, even through the shadows she could see his tears "It's not fair..." he began, he lost his voice in the tears as he lowered his head and collapsed onto the bed, crying.

Fred rushed to him at a calm pace, sitting next to him as he cried "It's ok Angel, it's ok…." She said, gently stroking his hair as he cried. She lay down next to him and looked at him, holding him even for awhile, letting him come to her at his own choosing.

New York

Buffy took a sip of her drink, she was helping Joe right now with work behind the bar. One of his usual employees didn't show up and she jumped at the chance to help out. She handed a guy and his buddy two beers and left them quickly to rush to another group waiting near her "Hey! What can I get ya?" she asked in a good mood, there was something she really liked about working in a bar.

She bent down to fetch the group a couple of beers and handed them to them, she received the payment in exchange. She loved this, all the people, the rush, faces, music, it all seemed to alleviate her stress and attitude, bringing it up to a better level. 

Joe walked up to her after it seemed to calm down and she was left to counting the money she made in tips, she looked up to see him and smiled brightly "Hey Joe!" she chirped happily. Joe smiled back in return "Hey Buffy, again, thanks for the help." He said. Buffy nodded with a wave of her hand "Happy to, don't worry." She said. 

She suddenly felt the quickening, another immortal was coming close by, she used to stagger and grab her head before when she'd feel it, but now she just stood strong and looked around. 

Joe noticed this "Don't worry, I called up a friend to come by." He said. Buffy smiled, relaxing "Cool, I hope you'll at least introduce me." She asked. Joe smiled and nodded "Don't worry, he's a friend of Mac's also, his name is…Adam." He said.

Buffy noticed the pause before he said his friends name, obviously there was something he wanted to hide. Just as she was thinking, a man appeared from the front door, wearing a long duster coat and a sweater and blue jeans. he looked rather handsome and in some ways even distinguished. "There he is, hey Adam!" Joe said, waving to his friend.

Adam saw him and walked over to her and Joe "Hey Joe, good seeing you again." He said with an English accent, it reminded Buffy of Giles a little. Joe pointed to Buffy standing next to him "Adam, this is Buffy, Mac's new student." He said, introducing them. Adam smiled at her "Hello Buffy." He said, holding out his hand.

Buffy smiled back and shook his hand "Yeah, great to meet you." She said back to him. Adam turned back to Joe "So, she's the one whose running the bar you're opening?" he asked Joe. 

Joe nodded "Yeah, help her with her new identity, if anyone asks, she's the owner…which will be true." Joe said. Buffy's eyes widened as he said that "What?" she asked.

Joe looked at her and smiled sheepishly "Surprise?" he said. Buffy smiled in shock and surprise "You mean that you're giving me the new bar?" she asked, still not totally understanding what Joe was getting at. Joe shrugged "Well, I have lots of extra cash, and you've helped out a lot lately…and we'll wait a little to see how it all goes, but yeah." He said.

Buffy shook her head with a big smile on her face, she rushed in and hugged the old man tight, lifting him off the ground even "Thank you!" she said in a giggle. Joe smiled as she hugged him "Uh, Buffy…I can't breathe." He said in a strain voice.

Buffy's eyes widened as she just realized how she was going about her thanks, she put him down and patted him off "Sorry Joe, thanks." She said with a smirk sneaking through. Joe smiled at her "It's ok, Adam here will be coming along to help you out if you need it." He said. 

Buffy turned to Adam and smiled "Cool, could use some help with all that paperwork." She said. Adam looked at Joe with a lightly upset look on his face "Gee, thanks Joe." He said "Now I have to do all the boring stuff." He added.

Buffy raised an eyebrow "Don't worry, where we're going it's never boring." 

Sunnydale

Willow woke up, it wasn't even near Dawn yet, still very early in the morning. She shifted lightly as she felt Tara's arms around her waist, she smiled sleepily as she shifted herself closer to her.

"You're awake." Tara whispered to her. Willow turned around where she lay and came to be face to face with Tara "Yeah, still sleepy though." She whispered back, hoping not to wake Dawn (who was still gone.)

"Did you have that dream?" Tara asked her, gently tracing Willows cheek. Willow slowly blinked with a nod "Yeah, but it's getting different." She said, for the past few days Willow was having dreams of Buffy, but she wasn't sure what it meant, it wasn't like a memory of the past, but of the future. A premonition maybe? She didn't know yet, the dreams were still to unclear.

Willow leaned into Taras touch softly "I miss her Tara." She said, looking at her sadly. Tara looked back into her eyes just the same "So do I, she was family." She said. Willow took hold of Taras hand and held it with a strong but gentle ease "Promise me something?" she asked. Tara nodded immediately, she'd promise anything for Willow "Of course." She said.

"Promise me…you'll…never leave me?" Willow asked shyly. Tara smiled lightly as she caressed Willows cheek "I'll stay with you forever, I promise." She said. Willow smiled as she touched Taras cheek as well "I love you." She whispered to her. Tara smiled still "I love you too." She said before gently pulling her in and kissing her softly.

When it ended they breathed deeply and simply looked at each other, both touching each other gently. Willow raised herself up to get a look of Dawn only to see her gone, and her bed empty "Omigod!" she yelled. Taras smiled vanished as well as she spun around in bed to see that Dawn was gone too "Dawn?" she called out.

Both rushed to their feet and began searching their home "Dawn?" Willow called out as she turned the corner and looked in the bathroom. After a few minutes they came back to their bed, standing in front of each other, Willow was going hysterical now "Where is she? I can't find her? Where could she be?" she went on in a rant. Tara took hold of the redheads shoulders "Shhhh, it's ok, I'm sure she's ok." Tara said to her, calming Willow down considerably.

There was a sudden knock at the door, Willow's eyes widened and she rushed to it, opening the door. The door swung open and Willow was relieved to see Dawn standing there with Spike leaning on the door frame next to her. "Dawn!" Willow yelled as she grabbed the young teenager and pulled her into the room, holding her tightly. She took Dawn by the shoulders next and shook her lightly "Don't ever do that again!" she yelled.

Dawn lowered her head a little, feeling ashamed for worrying Willow and Tara so much "I'm sorry, I…" she began, but Willow pulled her in for another hug. Tara stood at the door where Spike was still "Thanks Spike." She said. Spike shrugged as he tossed his smoke away and stomping on it in the hall "Ah, no worries." He said with a light grin on his face.

"Where'd you find her?" Tara asked, crossing her arms. Spike shrugged again "At…Buffys grave." He said. Tara looked at Willow and Dawn talking, Willow was now apologizing for yelling at Dawn, being hysterical and all, she looked back at Spike "What were you doing walking by there?" she asked. Spike somewhat hesitated, not wanting to ruin his 'bad boy' image "Uh…I was…patrolling." He said, raising his head as he figured out a weak cover.

Tara smiled at him, obviously he was lying and was there before Dawn was, she decided to indulge him in his answer and keep quiet "Thanks for bringing her back all the same, Willow was going nuts a little." She said. Spike grinned and nodded "Anytime, I just brought her out, something to eat a little." He said.

Before anything else could be said, someone tackled Spike to the ground. Tara jumped as it happened in a blur. Willow and Dawn came up beside her "Dawn, stay here!" Willow told her as she and Tara rushed out into the hall to see a dark hared woman beating the hell out of a defenseless Spike. Spike gave her a quick punch to the jaw, but started to scream in pain, clutching his head. The woman was a human for sure, otherwise Spike would have an easier time fighting her.

Willow stared at the two of them "Separate." She whispered. Immediately, Spike and the woman were thrown into the opposite direction of each other. Dawn immediately ran up to Spike as the two were released from Willows hold. Tara stood next to Willow as they looked at the woman who was approaching Spike once more. Dawn faced the woman and spread her arms out "No! Don't hurt him!" she screamed at the woman.

The woman stopped in her tracks, looking down at Dawn a little "Why? He's a vampire!" she said aggressively to her. Willow and Tara rushed up and stood with Dawn, protecting a dazed Spike "He's our friend!" Tara said in a low voice, obviously shy. Willow stared at the woman who stood there "Who are you?" she demanded.

The woman stood there, hands on her hips, her long, dark hair flowed to the small of her back almost, her eyes were a jade color. She stared at them intently "I am Catherine Tyler…the Vampire Slayer."

****

End Part 2

Ok, There you have it, part 2. I'll try and come out with a new part every weekend if I can, and till then keep sending your reviews will ya? I love the input! The more reviews I get, the better I can write. J 

-Marcus 


	3. Prelude to the homecoming

Stength and Honor

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, they belong to their respected parties. Except for Catherine Tyler, she's mine.

Strength and Honor

Part 3

By: Marcus

New York

Dear Diary, __

Jeez, that sounds kinda corny, but I don't know what else to start off on this, as you know, it's my first entry. Duncan thought that since I really can't talk to him about what's been bothering me lately, I should write it all down on paper.

It's been…how long now, almost two months since I died now? I've been thinking about Dawn and all the others almost constantly since then, I want to go back, but Duncan tells me that it would just complicate their lives, and considering that they were part of my life, it would make it all the more harder than it already is.

It's been disturbing my concentration a lot also, I can fight hand to hand no problem, but with a sword, damn, I'm beat. But the idea of killing someone other than a demon…I just can't do it, I don't think I can.

I haven't told him yet that I'm going to be running a bar that Joe Dawson is setting up in Sunnydale. He'd probably freak out big time, but I'm telling him today. I'm scared about going back now too, I'm scared about how they'll see me if they find out.

Oh! I forgot, I'm going back under a new identity with Joe and Duncan's friend Adam Pearson, another like me, immortal. There's something more to him though, something I can't figure out just yet.

Anyway, I'm still slaying all the same, keeping up practice. Trying to get by while having a life still, I find them to be a lot different from the type in Sunnydale, they have more attitude, more aggression. But I'll be happy to go home, watch over Dawn somehow, and see them all, I just hope that they're all right without me.

Sunnydale

Giles walked down the stairs in his home to find Dawn eating breakfast, she blinked tiredly as he looked at the clock, it was just seven thirty, quite early for a weekend. She looked up to see him walking down "Hey Giles." She said before she went to put her bowl in the sink.

Giles followed her there and observed her, she was acting shy and distant towards him "Good morning Dawn, sleep well?" he asked. Dawn nodded "Yeah, you?" she asked, becoming a little more close to him. Giles poured himself a cup of coffee "Yes, quite. You're up early." He said, pouring some cream and a cube of sugar.

Dawn shrugged as she usually did "Well, we have to if we're going to the Magic Shop right?" she said. Giles looked at her surprised "I thought you'd stay here and study for school, you usually do on the weekends." He said. Dawn pointed to her bag by the door "I'll do it at the shop." She said. 

Giles nodded and wrote it off, he did prefer if she came with him instead of leaving her home alone "Well then, we'll be gone in an hour." He said. "Ok." Dawn chirped as she went upstairs to her room.

Giles watched her leave and he went to the sofa with his coffee, lately he had been involved with this new slayer, Catherine Tyler. She was quite the elusive one, she did attack Spike at Willow and Taras place over two weeks ago, when confronted, she gave her name and took off. Since then, it was touch and go, she had been seen in the cemetery's since then, she even aided them a few times when on patrol, but as soon as she had appeared, she vanished back into the shadows.

He looked at the television that Xander had dug out of his place around a year ago or so, he took the clicker and pushed the power button. He saw the news come on, perfect, just what he wanted to watch. But nothing really interested him, it was just gibberish. He was about to turn it off when something did catch his eye. 

A new bar was opening in Sunnydale, a blues and music bar. The voice said that it was a place for people to come and sing if they wanted to on Fridays, even their own song if they wanted to. There wasn't a name for the place yet, but it was just down the street from the Magic Box store. Something to check out.

Xander and Anya walked into the shop a few minutes after Dawn and Giles had arrived. Anya looked cheerful as she usually did when she was working…and making money. Xander took a seat next to Dawn and looked at her with a smile "Hey Dawny, what's up?" he asked her. Dawn shrugged, grinned lightly at him "Nothing, just homework." She said.

Xander's jaw dropped as he looked at her with widened eyes "On a Saturday? That's got to be sacrilege on some level." He joked. Dawn looked at him with a questioning look "Got something in mind?" she asked. Xander smiled as he raised a finger before reaching into his coat "How about that Jackie Chan film festival?" he asked, holding up two tickets.

Dawn smiled cheerfully as Anya did as she looked up to Giles who was with Anya behind the counter "Can I?" she asked him. Giles thought for a minute, playing with Dawn as she waited eagerly for a response, he smiled finally, thinking it would be all right "Have fun." He said. Dawn shot out of her chair, pulling at Xanders coat as she took hers from the back of her seat.

Xander chuckled as he slowly followed her out the door and to his car "Later all." He called out behind him to the others. 

Catherine Tyler, the new Slayer walked down the busy streets of Sunnydale. She had been here for over three weeks now, living scarcely in a hotel and finding food with whatever little money she had. She hated to admit it, but her options for living independently were running thin.

She looked across the street to see a building being renovated. She saw the sign to see that a bar was opening up soon and they were looking for employees. She quickly walked across the street to get a closer look. She saw the number to call; it was in New York though, directly to the person who was opening the place, the owner.

She took a pen that was in her hair as a pin and wrote the number on her palm carefully, she seemed to take an interest in this job, and it sounded interesting. And she needed work soon or she'd starve.

She took off after she caught a peek inside; it looked like it was going to be a classy place to work in, if she got the job.

New York

"WHAT? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" Duncan yelled aloud at Buffy as he rushed around the apartment from where she stood. She had just told him that she was going to be running the new bar in Sunnydale, and that she choose the location. "Duncan, please. I have to go back there." She said, following him as he passed by her arguing to himself and to her.

"No! It's going to risk all immortals, and its going to make things worse than it has to be for you and for them too if they find out who you really are!" Duncan said, turning around and walking towards her as she slowly walked backward at the same pace.

Buffy stopped and stood strong before Duncan now "No! My life is all wrong here, I have to go back, and I have to. I belong there. My sister…she's there. My friends…my family." She said, softly ending on the last part.

Duncan stood still, looking down to the floor as he thought. He looked at her and lightened up "You sure about this?" he asked. Buffy nodded as she loosened up "Yes, I am Duncan." She replied. Duncan closed his eyes and nodded, still thinking to himself "Well, we have to give you what Amanda loves to do…makeover and shopping." 

Buffy kept silent, but the large grin the stretched across her face was loud enough for Duncan to hear, he had a feeling that his credit card was going to be suffering on this one.

Los Angeles

Angel lay in his bed peacefully. He was beginning to get through his faze a little, Fred had always been there for him, and he wouldn't let any of the others come and let them see him like this. He turned his head to see Winifred asleep on the chair next to his bed; she was there since he dozed off earlier.

Her eyes opened to see him looking at her from where he lay, she smiled lightly "How are you feeling?" she asked him with a groggy voice, smiling at him. Angel nodded "I'm ok…thanks for staying again." He said, a little hesitant. Fred smiled as she left the chair and lay next to him on the bed, resting her head next to Angels "I didn't want to be alone either." She said to him, gently touching his hand.

Angel closed his eyes and smiled a little, something he didn't do very often, "Should we get up and check on the others?" Angel asked, not sure what to do right now. Fred shrugged lightly with a move of her head and smiled "How about later, let's just stay here for now."

New York

Duncan was at Joe's bar talking to Joe and Methos as Buffy was out with Amanda shopping. "You encouraged this didn't you?" Duncan asked, accusing Joe of making Buffy open the new bar back in Sunnydale. Joe remained calm as he walked around the bar slowly to Duncan "No Mac, it ain't me at all, she came to that decision all on her own." He said.

"Besides, it's her decision, why bother her with it if you can't change her mind?" Methos said, trying to make Duncan see a different side to this problem he saw. Duncan turned and looked at Methos "Because it's going to get her hurt Methos, more than she could probably handle."

Methos shook his head "Somehow I kind of think she could handle it. Something about that girl that she isn't telling us, I get the feeling like she's gone through things that have been more intense than anything we've gone through." He said. Duncan nodded "I know, for the past five weeks now I've been aware of her sneaking out late at night and coming back almost before Dawn." He said.

Joe looked at them "Should we follow her? See what she's been doing at these late hours?" Joe asked them. Duncan thought for a little "I suppose we should"

Evening, 11pm

Buffy opened her eyes to see past the spiral stairs if Duncan was asleep, she slowly and quietly tossed the covers off her to get out of bed and got dressed. After a slow dressing, she wore a white halter-top, black jeans and her coat over top. She stowed a few stakes under her coat as if she were hiding her sword. She crept to the door and slowly walked out and down the stairs to the gym.

As soon as the door closed Duncan moved freely, getting out of bed and dressed himself too. He picked up his sword and stowed it under his coat as he took a cell phone, he quickly dialed the number as he walked out of his home through the same door as Buffy had.

"Joe, did you see her?" he asked as the Joe replied to his call. "Mac, yeah, me and Adam are following just a ways back from her, she's on the move down the street, going north." Joe said through the phone. Duncan nodded as he walked into the gym to see one of the larger swords on the wall to be gone "Ok, I'm on my way, keep me informed Joe." Duncan said before turning off the phone and following in the direction Joe said she went.

Buffy walked down the street at a slower pace than normal, usually the vampire would find you if you make an interesting enough target for them, and just walking was enough to attract them to you. She listened carefully for any sounds that could give them away; usually they weren't the quietest bunch. 

As she passed in front of an alley she stopped as she heard a growling and sounds of a struggle. She pulled out a stake slowly from the inside of her coat. She walked in the alley at a faster pace now, she saw whatever was going on was from behind a Dumpster. "Hey! What's going on there?" she called out, trying to pass off as an innocent so she could still get the upper hand.

Joe and Methos watched from their car as Buffy stopped and pulled out an object from her coat before walking into the alley. "What's she doing?" Joe asked, not really asking Methos directly, just thinking out loud mostly. Methos shook his head "I haven't the faintest idea Joe, should we follow her? Or wait for Duncan?" he asked the former watcher.

"Why don't we just go now?" Duncan asked as he suddenly appeared from the window of their car. Joe jumped in his seat, nearly hitting the roof, as Methos was rather calm, feeling Duncan approach awhile ago. Duncan chuckled as he saw Joe looking at him in agitation and panic "Jesus Mac! Don't do that!" he growled. Duncan raised his hand sup in mock innocence as he looked to the alley.

"Should we follow on foot?" Methos asked, looking at the entrance to the dark crevice in between the two buildings, Duncan nodded "I suppose so, Joe you coming too?" Duncan asked. Joe pulled out a revolver and tucked it in his coat as he nodded "Let's go."

Buffy had several vampires on her case right now; two others were a pile of ash on the cold, damp ground. He had expended her stakes and they were out of reach, so she grabbed the closest thing that would serve as a weapon. She took a long wooden poll that was against the wall and used it as a staff. Both the ended were broken and were pointed just enough for her to use. It was around her height and just long enough as well.

She looked around, surrounded "Well, who's first?" she asked, waiting for the dumbest one to move first. As if on cue, one of them on her left lunged towards her, growling and throwing his fist at her. Three seconds after two others did. 

Buffy did what came easily to her; she kicked the first to attack and jabbed her staff into the hearts of two that followed, two down, five others to go. Buffy saw the gape in their circle and leapt through it, they regrouped and formed up on her, pushing her against the wall, their demonic features glowered at her now in pure hatred and anger.

Duncan, Methos and Joe walked down the alley to hear signs of a fight in the distance. As they approached it, the two immortals felt the presence of another, obviously Buffy. They looked at each other and quickened their pace towards the fight.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up!" Joe told them. Duncan and Methos nodded at him and pulled out their swords, running toward the fight.

Buffy's head snapped back as she was caught off guard by one of the four remaining vampires. She tastes the taste of iron in her mouth; she must have cut her lip maybe. She didn't let it stop her as she still had half the staff left in her hand. She thrashed the head of one vampire that had just struck her. The vampire staggered back in pain, clutching his face in agony.

Buffy moved away from the wall quickly and spun around, letting her foot stretch out and strike at two of the others simultaneously. She threw the stick away and reached into her coat to pull out the sword she'd borrowed from Duncan's gym. She brought it up as she spun once more, as she came to face another vampire the blade sliced through its neck, severing its head. The vampire disintegrated into a pile of ashes in seconds.

The stopped for a second as she felt the presence of another immortal '_Not now damn' _she said to herself as she resumed the fight with the three other demons. Before she could strike at them, the other two fell to ashes themselves. The last sole survivor looked around as did Buffy to see Duncan and Methos there, swords drawn and staring coldly at the remaining vampire. 

Before any of them could react next, Buffy threw her sword at the retreating vampire. The sword spun through the air with precision and thrust itself into the demons back, as it fell forward it landed in a swirl of ash on the ground. As Buffy walked over, Joe had showed up, witnessing a little of what Duncan and Methos had already seen.

She picked up her sword and two dropped stakes and stowed them once more under her coat. She avoided the looks from Duncan, Methos and Joe, until they spoke out, breaking the silence. "Buffy, what were those?" Duncan asked her. Methos, still under the name of Adam to Buffy smacked Duncan across the shoulder "Don't you know what a vampire is?" he asked, sounding irritated.

Buffy and the others all looked at him "You know about vampires Adam?" she asked, surprised that immortals knew about the demon populations of earth. Methos shrugged as he looked at them all "What? Of course I do." He said, wondering what was with them.

An hour later, the four of them were in Joe's bar, having a drink as Buffy told them about her life before immortality, about her being the slayer. They listened careful as she paced back and forth, sat, drank her drink as she told them about the master, how she met her friends. Her relationship with Angel took a little over an hour for her to explain to them, how the mayor tried to kill them all, even Faith, her friend.

Eventually it came down to Glory, the hell-god, and her sister Dawn being the key. She told them about how that year went, the death of her mother, Tara and Willow meeting prior to that time. How it all came down to that final fight, the world on the verge of another apocalypse. 

"So, that's what that thing was that night?" Duncan asked her. Buffy nodded "Yes, that portal would have caused everything and everyone on earth 'unimaginable pain' as Giles put it." She said. Joe leaned towards in his seat "So…how'd you stop it?" he asked her. 

Buffy sat down and finished the remaining beer in her bottle, tilting her head back and gulping the fluid. She put the bottle down on the table and sighed "I leapt into it…and that's when I died." She said.

"But I thought you said that if Dawns blood starts to flow, the portal will open, when the blood stops and she's dead, the portal will close? So…how did you close I without killing her?" Methos asked, obviously drawing a blank there. Buffy leaned back "Well, that's another puzzle that I figured out just before I died. Awhile back I went on this vision quest, I was told by the first Slayer…that 'Death was my gift'." She began.

Duncan squinted his eyes "What's that mean?" he asked, Buffy smiled "I said the same thing at first. It's my gift to all of you, every human…self-sacrifice, to give myself up for the greater good." She said, fully understanding it herself. She turned to Methos, staring at him with something of a sultry smile "Now it's your turn Adam." She said.

Methos sat still and looked out of each corner of his eyes "Excuse me?" he asked her. Buffy walked up and took a chair, flipped it backwards and sat down in front of him, folding her arms under her chin "You knew what those demons were, how? And for that matter, how old are you?" she asked.

Methos fidgeted in his seat, crossing his legs as he fakes a chuckle "Uh…it doesn't matter." Buffy shook her head "I think it does…" she said as she leaned closer to his face in her chair until they were nose to nose and each could feel the others breath "…Don't you think?" she whispered to him, teasing him with hormones and charm.

Methos shot up from his seat and backed off a little "Ok, you win." He said, "My real name is Methos." He said simply. Buffy looked at him confused, thinking for a little. Her eyes widened as she stood up from her seat "You mean THE Methos? The oldest?" she asked. Methos nodded "Yeah, that's me." He said, shrugging, looking away from her eyes. He looked back to see her looking him over "What?" he asked.

Buffy shook her head "You're not what I expected." She said. Methos rolled his eyes and let his shoulders drop "Well what were you expecting? An old man? Long beard like Merlin? What?" he said, exasperated and irritated at this examination. Buffy shrugged with a fake frown "You just look…not what I expected." She said, playing with him.

Methos exhaled roughly and walked off in a fit, cursing under his breath about annoying blondes and making an effort to respect an elder. 

Duncan and Joe chuckled to themselves and Buffy grinned at them while looking to them from her side. The grin faded a little as something passed through her mind "Uh, I'll be back at the loft ok Duncan?" she said as she grabbed her coat and left before any of them could respond.

Buffy sat on the rooftop with a blanket covering her body. After she showered she just wore her underwear underneath, just wanting to feel as free as she could. She looked out to the sky, the moon and the stars lit up brilliantly in the heavens, illuminating the night air around her in a soft light. 

She hummed to herself, as she looked onward to the sky calmly. "No it won't rain all the time…the sky can't fall forever…" she whispered to herself softly, remembering the song that she and Dawn learned from Faith. "It's a good song." She heard from behind her.

Buffy gasped a she pulled the blanket over top her upper body, covering herself "Joe!" she yelped. Joe lowered his gaze and slowly walked towards her and took a seat next to her "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you." He said apologetically, Buffy shrugged, as she looked back to the horizon "It's ok." She said in a low voice.

Joe looked at her then out to the horizon as she was. "Can I ask you why you're going back to Sunnydale?" Joe asked her plainly. Buffy breathed deeply as she kept her eyes on the approaching sunrise "Dawn, my sister. I can't stand to be away from her; even this long…it tears at me inside. I touch her, hold her, look at her and I feel so close that being away from her is like I lost am arm. I love her more than everything and anything in the world." She said looking out to the horizon as the sun peaked its first sight of the new day, washing away the nights evil and sin.

Sunnydale – Five hours to Morning

The vampire thrashed into the tree with violent force, his shot at the new slayer was missed greatly, leaving his fist sore and cut from punching his fist into it. He spun around to catch her with a backhand by surprise, she yelped as she staggered back several steps. He was overconfident, she was new to the eternal war, and her moves were fresh, as was she.

Catherine took a kick to the chest, feeling her flesh scream in pain momentarily, but she kept strong. Returning to a defensive stance, she caught the next fury of attacks with ease, blocking them easily. She had to admit this vampire must have been around for awhile, a few years maybe, he had more of a brain than most demons did.

As she blocked a strike to her face, she grabbed hold of his wrist and yanked him forward, _Gotcha,_ she thought to herself with an inward grin. As she yanked the demon forward, she reached for a stake that was hidden under her pants behind her. In the blink of an eye, it was embedded in his chest. The demon stood up, staring in shock at her with wide eyes, actually surprised that he had lost to her.

The sounds that followed were the usual, demonic screaming sound followed by the disintegration of the demon body into ashes.

Catherine dusted off whatever remains of the demon had fluttered onto her in those seconds "Damn dead demons." She muttered under her breath as she stroked her jacket sleeve. 

"Give us a little credit will you?" she heard from behind her. Catherine spun around, brought her stake up close, gripping it tightly. She relaxed a little as she saw it was that same vampire from the other night at that witches dorm room. "Spike right?" she asked. 

Spike nodded, taking a drag from his cigarette "Yeah, that's my name luv, don't wear it thin." He said, walking slowly towards her. Catherine shook her head "Out." She said. Spike stopped and stood straighter "What?" he asked.

Catherine rolled her eyes as she relaxed her arm and stowed her stake behind her pants. She knew by now that if he were going to pick a fight with her that they'd be at each others throats already "Out, you know 'That's my name, don't wear it out', OUT" she said, correcting him.

Spike blew out the smoke from his lungs, looking at her irritated "Well excuse me miss 'perfect grammar'", didn't mean to offend you with a bad choice of words." Catherine stood there silently, arms crossed and her eyes trained on him with a cold intensity.

"What do you want, and make it quick, there aren't any witches here to protect you." She said. Spike leaned up against a large headstone near her and looked at her as he smoked his cigarette "Why'd you attack me the other night when I know for a fact that you knew I wasn't being a threat to them." He asked her, demanding an explanation.

Catherine strode along his line of sight and staying just out of arms reach, she eyed him carefully. His bleach blonde hair, black leather duster, pale skin with tat scar over his left eye. She stopped pacing just in front of him, staring at him with less strictness in her expression "You're a demon, just another vampire to me." She said.

Spike leaned forward and off the headstone, looking shocked "Another vampire? Bloody hell girl, I'm Spike, I've killed two of you slayers in the past hundred years, and you're calling me 'just another vampire'?" he said exasperatedly, he tossed his smoke away without even blinking, keeping his eyes focused on her totally, taking her all in.

Her long black hair, black leather pants, white tank top, and the exposed skin of her shoulders, how she glowed in the moonlight. She smirked with a light nod, looking him over "Two slayers huh? So why couldn't you take me out that night?" she asked as she began to walk closer to him. Spike nodded in all direction, pointing at her "Oh, like I didn't know that was gonna come up, bleedin' Christ." He said, swearing upon a religion that was poison to him.

He looked at her, closer now, he could reach out and touch her with the tip of his fingers, but he didn't, finally managing to find her after their first encounter was tough enough, he wanted to avoid another 'hunt'.

"Well, if you just HAVE to know, about a year ago, last year to be exact, there were a group of government special forces around these here parts…called the INITIATIVE. They found me, kidnapped me with one of those pesky ray guns of theirs…and they put a chip in my head, stopping me from having a good ol' time." He said, leaning back and crossing his arms. 

Catherine giggled to herself; Spike frowned and raised his hands up to her "What?" he asked, angry at her laughter. Catherine waved her hand "You, harmless? OH! What a riot!" she said, acting more ecstatic than she really was. Spike shook his head and walked up to her "Here's proof luv." He said seconds before he sucker punched her.

Catherines head shot back sharply with a dull pain in her jaw, when she fell back, she felt disoriented, but she could make out a yelling, Spike crying out in pain. She shook her head and looked at him from where she was on the grass. He kneeled there, both hands clutching his head as he growled fiercely.

__

'He's serious, he's harmless…oh fuck me, this is way to weird for me already' she thought to herself. She got up and approached him slowly, touching his shoulder as he sat there in silence. His head snapped to life, looking at her "Never gets easier." He said as he got up with ease, Catherine stood up as well and looking him over "In the name of fuck." She said aloud.

She shook her head, trying to get past this little revelation for the night "What do you want anyway, you never answered that." she said. Spike lit up as he shook himself for forgetting "Oh, sorry about that. Ok, we just want to know why you've been so damned elusive lately." He said, relaying a question that Giles himself would obviously want to ask.

Catherine stepped back and paced "I don't really know…I guess that it's because I prefer not to have friends, or allies. I don't want to…" she began, but Spike cut her off "…have to worry about them? Watch their backs?" he said, finishing her sentence. Catherine looked at him, both irritated and surprised "Since when are vampires telepathic?" she asked sarcastically.

Spike shrugged "That's how Buffy used to feel, awhile ago…trust me, even if it's the only time you do, they can handle themselves, especially the 'witch.'" He said, referring to Willows frighteningly growing power "Just go to them, Giles used to be a watcher, still is actually in his own way. He got booted for caring to much, what's that tell ya?" he asked her, trying to convince her to approach them.

Catherine's brow furrowed as she thought about it, she didn't know if she ought to, she'd already lost quite a bit in her life, most of it while being to young. He mind wandered back to hr early childhood and teenage years, the memory of her parents being brutally murdered in their home in a somewhat peaceful neighborhood, moving from one foster home to another. Before long she was already fourteen and on the streets slaying to stay alive. 

Yes, she began at quite an earlier age than most slayers had, but she didn't know she was a slayer, not until a few months ago when one night she woke up to find herself with a guest at the condemned loft she was living out of . a trio of men, calling themselves watchers had approached her at night, telling her about her destiny and stuff. At first she didn't believe them, but as she continued to waken from her sleep, she noticed that she felt quite different, more…better, for the lack of a better word.

But as she accepted their plea for her to join, they already proceeded to try and control her with extreme measures, they threatened her, abused her when she disobeyed their orders, even tried to kill her when she decided to skip out of them, she almost didn't make it out of that one, but she did it, without killing one of them –even thought she was severely tempted.-

Before she left, she read some of the journals from the watchers, one about a Buffy Summers, one who had died just not to long ago in Sunnydale. So that's how she came to the decision to come here, she felt it was the right place for her, of course she was still trying to decide if that was right or not. 

"Tell them to meet me at the cemetery close to the edge of town, the nice one. Name the grave." She said, agreeing on her own terms. Spike nodded, thinking about how to go about this "Buffy Ann Summers, I believe you might already know about her?" he asked. Catherine just gave a silent nod as she did in fact. "Meet me there one hour after dark, all of you if you'd prefer it." She said. 

Spike nodded at her as she grinned to him for an instant. By the time he blinked, she was a motion blur and was gone, into the night once more "I see how slayers hate that." He said to himself as he tossed the butt of his cigarette away and walked away.

Giles and Dawn were with Xander and Anya at the magic shop, it was that time of the year for inventory and that mean research kind of stuff as well as late hours. Anya had convince Xander to come along for fear of him drinking again, it hadn't been a serious problem at all, but given his fathers history with the substance, and his behavior of late, the whole situation made her nervous and afraid for him.

Giles began staking a group of books and checking them off on a pad of paper. He and all the others hadn't spoken a word in almost an hour. Dawn was writing away in her journal, the newest of many volumes. She wrote and sketched small images in the corners of the pages, smiling softly from time to time. 

Xander found himself reading some parts of the books that he was cataloguing, trying to know more about some of the things he already knew about.

"Hey, who wants to hear some cheery music?" Anya asked, trying to break the silent with a knife…a VERY sharp knife. Giles looked over to her as did Xander and Dawn. Xander shrugged as did Dawn, Giles hadn't said or done anything, it was an excruciatingly boring night for him especially. 

Before anything else could be said, the door opened and Spike walked inside. "Spike! Hey! Want to play some cheery music?" Anya asked, smiling fiercely at him. Spike stood still and stared at her with a dumbfounded look "Uh, good to see you to." He mumbled. Spike shook his head and walked up to the others, specifically Giles "Giles, I got us an appointment tomorrow night." He said to him out loud, making sure that the others heard him.

"What are you talking about?" Xander asked him. Spike looked at him and then to Giles, looking at him silently "Our new resident slayer if you must know, has agreed to a meeting with us, all of us." He said. Giles put the book down as everyone in the room shot to their feet and rushed up to him "You found her?" Giles asked, surprised and shocked, finding new respect for Spikes abilities.

Spike nodded, taking a seat on the foot of the stair heading up to the restricted books "Yeah, and I have to admit, she's pretty damn good at the slayer thing." He commented. "When?" Dawn asked referring to the time of their meeting with her.

"Tomorrow night, not long after nightfall, by Buffys grave." He said. He saw the glances and split second reactions as he mentioned Buffy, he couldn't blame them really, they all still missed her, he did to more than they really knew.

New York

"Are you sure about this?" 

Amanda sighed impatiently as she worked her gloved hands at Buffys hair. It was decided –through much arm twisting from Amanda- that Buffy would have dark red hair, almost black. She looked at her through the reflection in the mirror "Oh course darling, you'll look great!" Amanda said, plenty of enthusiasm in her voice.

Buffy raised an eyebrow as she looked at her "Ok, but if you screw up, it's your butt I'm pounding." She said sarcastically as she grinned.

Methos was at his place packing some of his clothes and other items, Joe was there with a drink in his hand talking to him "You sure you're of with going off with her?" he asked, trying to see if Methos really was ok with this job he'd set him up with. 

Methos sighed as he stood up from where he was crouched "For the tenth time Joe, yes!" he exclaimed. As Methos went back to furiously packing, Joe had been noticing the change in his behavior since he had met Buffy and it had become quite noticeable since she told them her story of her life of demons and slayers.

Methos caught his friend looking at him in question, he tossed the shirt he had on the bed and fell back, taking a seat "Alright…" Methos began "A long time ago, I knew a slayer. It was when I was very young, before I became immortal. I fell in love with this slayer. And then one day, she died, and me along with her." He said, obviously being in pain from telling Joe this.

"When I came back, and found her laying dead next to me…I snapped, that's when I became death of the horsemen, I was looking for someone to kill me, send me home to her." He said. Joe looked at him as though Methos had told him he were dying "Aw jeez Adam, why didn't you ever tell us about this before?" he asked.

Methos shrugged "No reason, hurts still. Funny, after five thousand years, it doesn't hurt any less. But…" he said, beginning something else "When she and I were together, we discovered a prophecy, very old even for those times." He said. Joe took a seat in the chair behind him, giving Methos his total attention. "It was a prophecy of the slayer, about one who would die as all the rest, but death would not take her. I can't remember the rest just yet, I'm going to look the rest of it up once we're there." He said, continuing to pack his things.

Joe had a thought that things in the future were about to become quite interesting, and he was afraid that it wasn't going to be all good.

End part 3

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Hey all! God I love all your input! Keep it coming, it's so great! The next part should begin to pick up on the story line (which I myself am still figuring out) but it may take awhile (Work and all, going out of town, ugh) anyhoo, keep your input and reviews coming, I love reading them all!


	4. knowing truths

Strength and honor

Disclaimer: the only character here that belongs to me is Catherine Tyler, the rest belong to their respected parties.

****

Strength and Honor

Part 4

By: Marcus

On a plane to California

Buffy let her head drop back to her seat as she exhaled rather loudly as well as being somewhat irritating to Methos sitting next to her. He looked over to her, putting his book down he stared as she acted as though he weren't "What is it now?" he asked. Buffy looked at him and pointed to herself "What? Oh, I'm ok." She said in a false cheer.

Methos shook his head and went back to his book, he had to admire the change Amanda had made on her though, and her hair was dark now, black and a very deep shade of red running all through it. Her eyes were a green color now too, very intense to look into. Amanda bought her a leather coat to go with it, it stopped just before her knees, and it suited her well.

"We should be landing in a few hours, Joe said that the place is already being set up, all there is to do is to hire people and run the place any way you see fit." He said. Buffy smiled. Her own bar, not everyday a friend just gives you one, she had to admit, in some ways, she was happy she had died, she'd already learned much from Duncan and the others. But her heart longed for home, for Dawn.

She took a leather bound book out of her bag by her feet and opened it, showing her previous journal entries over the past few weeks. She took out a pencil and began to write.

__

~

I'm going home.

I'm so scared and anxious at the same time, knots wrenching at my stomach like hot knives. I'm so afraid of being seen by them, and seeing them myself. What really gets to me is the slaying. I know for sure that they're still keeping the fight in my place.

Dawn, oh my sweet little sister, how I miss her so. Even when she gets under my skin so much, I miss that especially. It proves to me that she is my sister, now more than ever. How she smiles, cries, yawns in boredom and even argues with me, it makes me love her all the more.

Dawn, I'm coming home to you.

~

Sunnydale

Willow sat before the headstone, silently staring at it intensely, Tara kneeled just behind her, her arms around Willow from behind, resting her head on Willows shoulder. 

The two of them had decided to arrive early, Giles and Spike were going to arrive after them, the four of them were to meet with the new slayer tonight, in less than an hour.

"I still can't get used to this." Willow said to Tara softly "Seeing her grave, reading the name, it numbs me inside." She said. Tara gently moved her hand from around Willows shoulder and gently touched her cheek, slowly turning her head with gentle ease "I know, but don't worry, you're not alone." She whispered into her ear, gently kissing her lobe.

Willow smiled, closing her eyes and resting her head back against Tara "Thank you." She replied, honestly and simply. They heard a ruffling in the bushes and they immediately stood tall on their feet. "Who's there?" Willow asked, trying to sound tough, but sounded scared and meek instead.

Willow relaxed a little as she stood in front of Tara, being protective of her. As she watched she saw the new slayer emerge from the shadows "You can relax, I'm not here to fight." Catherine said roughly. 

"That's good to know." Spike said as he and Giles walked up from behind Willow and Tara. Catherine grinned and waved "Hey Spike." She mumbled. "So, you wanted me here, you…" she stopped as she met Giles' eyes, his very face spoke words to her "I know you…they told me about you. I've been looking for you Rupert." She said to him. 

Everyone looked at Giles and Catherine in confusion "H-How do you know him?" Tara asked shyly. Catherine slowly folded her arms, covering her bare arms, she had no coat and she still wore the same clothes as when Spike had first approached her. Spike noticed it and walked over to her, shedding his coat like a peel and placed it over her shoulders "Here, stay warm." He whispered into her ear.

Catherine looked up at him, no longer looking tough, but so fragile, and afraid. "Uh…" she began as she touched her temples with her fingertips "The other watchers told me about you…" she began. Giles walked up to her "You've met them?" he asked carefully. Catherine looked at him, lacking some of the gentleness in her eyes, but still looking vulnerable "Yeah, unfortunately I have. They told me all that stuff about it being my birthright and stuff, and that you were bad news with the other slayer. After awhile they tried to be more controlling, and eventually they said if I didn't do what they wanted, they'd terminate me. So I ran, came here eventually." She said softly and calmly.

Giles adjusted his lenses as squinted his eyes, stretching the skin around his nose "They somewhat tried similar tactics here as well." He said. He looked back at her, he saw how she looked, and it wasn't good. "Where are you staying?" he asked. Catherine shrugged "Uh, this old mansion in another cemetery." She said. They all knew the place; Angels old home before leaving for LA

Giles thought for awhile "Would you consider an offer for a better place?" he asked her. Catherine looked at him in surprise, she wasn't expecting such kindness and generosity from them, at least not this soon. "Why would you do something like that for me?" she asked him, wanting to know the angle he was aiming at.

Giles shook his head "You're the slayer, I still consider it my job to look after you, and care just as much." He said. Catherine looked to the others, they smiled shyly, nodding, telling her silently that his heart was in the right place, that he did care more than he was really letting on.

"You can stay with us." Willow said, looking at Tara to see her nodding with total agreement. Catherine paced a little, walking away and to them, she really wasn't sure, there was so much she still didn't know about them still, but she was hungry, no work yet, and the mansion was so cold at night, and unprotected against vampires. She looked at them, sighing loudly as she gave up the debate inside herself "Ok…I accept your offer."

Catherine chewed veraciously at the sandwich and drank her coffee just as fast. Willow smiled at Tara as they all watched her eat. Catherine stopped suddenly as she noticed their stares "What? You all act as if you never seen a starving slayer eat." She said sarcastically. "Sorry, we just didn't think you'd be eating three servings already." Spike said as he drank a beer and puffed at a smoke. Giles too had a drink in his hand and was painfully listening to the loud music.

Tara held Willows hand under the table tightly; they didn't really feel like dancing, the right feeling tonight. Spike was feeling down again, it had been happening a lot in the past months, he tried to hide it from them, but it didn't really work with Giles. Catherine ate the last of her Buffalo wings and pushed the plate away, finishing her coffee in a single gulp. She leaned back in her seat, hands on her stomach and smiling as though it were ecstasy "Thanks." She said to them.

"You look sleepy." Willow mentioned, seeing Catherine seem to close her eyes a little longer now. Catherine nodded agreeing "Yeah, been a few days since I last ate."

Spike interjected at this point, shaking his hand at them "Eh, one minute here. You said that the watchers got a little up and nasty with you." He said to Catherine. She nodded "Yeah, what's your point?" she asked. Giles nodded at this point "Yes, last time we met, it was established that the watchers worked for the slayer." He said.

"Yeah, you were even reinstated too." Willow said. Giles thought, crossing his arms and bringing a hooked finger to his chin "I'll have to make a few calls to them, see what's going on, this isn't right." He said. Catherine looked worried, a little nervous even "Well, all I want right now is a spot to sleep." She said, trying unsuccessfully to hold back a yawn.

Giles nodded as did Willow and Tara "Yes, seems like a good idea, I should be getting back home, I left Xander and Anya to take care of Dawn." Giles said. Spike stood up, tossing money on the table "On me mates." He said before taking off abruptly before any of them could thank him.

"Come on, we'll set you up at our place." Tara said to Catherine, they all stood up now, feeling stiff and tired "Thanks." Catherine yawned out.

Los Angeles

Angel walked down the stairs into the lobby, for the first time in over two months since Buffy had died, he was feeling more too normal a little. The others had left for the night, leaving the place empty except for Winifred who was dancing lightly to some music in the lobby. He stopped halfway down the stairs and just watched her dance.

It was a soft song; she seemed to just move with the rhythm to it, not caring what the outcome was. Waving her arms from side to side, her eyes closed with a soft look of comfort on her face. The way her hips moved to the sounds with her legs. 

The song had no words, just instruments playing together in harmony. She stopped when her eyes fluttered open and she saw him sitting on the step watching her "Oh. Angel…" she said, smiling as she moved a loch of hair out of her face "Care to dance?" she asked in her usual innocent tone. 

Angel immediately remembered the last time he was asked that question, it was a party at Cordellias place, a woman had asked him to dance and he immediately saw himself in his mind dancing, along with her staring at him with a dropped jaw and wide eyes.

Angel gave a small smile as she shook his head "Trust me, I can't, and I shouldn't either." He said, "I'm a menace." He added with a grin. Fred shook her head with a warm smile as she walked over to him "Then I'll teach you, come on." She begged, taking hold of his hands and dragging him out to the floor.

"Let's do something slow, that's so easy." She said. Angel simply stood there as she took his hands into hers and his other around her waist. They were only a few inches apart "Ok, just move with me to the music." She instructed.

As she moved, Angel clumsily moved with her, trying to copy her but with little degree. Fred stopped, shaking her head "No, you're trying to hard, just move with it, clear you head and just let go." She said "It's kind of like…meditation." She added, knowing that Angel did meditate from time to time. Angel nodded as he prepared to try again.

He did as she told him, just listen to the music and let yourself go, and he found himself dancing –more or less- with Winifred in his arms. 

Winifred smiled as she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest, stretching her arms around him, holding on to him closely. It was a peaceful moment, free of pain, sorrow. Just a time where the outside world and its worries just didn't exist.

Sunnydale

Catherine dropped on the small sofa in Willow and Taras home hard, her leg and arm on her left side hung over the side. Tara got her a pillow as Willow came from the closet with a blanket to find her passed out. "Wow, I guess the mansion isn't to comfy these days." Willow said, amazed at how fast Catherine passed out.

"Damn right Willow." Catherine groaned out of the corner of her mouth. Tara helped her up and placed the pillow under her head "I'll get you a change of clothes to sleep in." she said. Catherine shook her head "S'okay, I usually sleep in light clothing." She said, striping off Spike coat. 

Willow was surprised, Spike never did leave his coat anywhere but on him –unless he was in his crypt- she took the coat and hung it on the back of the door, she turned around to jump in shock as she saw Catherine stripping for the most part and covering herself with the blanket. She looked at her and Tara "What, don't tell me you two have never slept nude." 

Willow nearly passed out right there; Tara fidgeted a little and got nervous as she had turned around, facing her back to Catherine. Willow became jumpy as she shook her hands, trying to find a reply "Uh…we…uh…haven't done THAT yet." She said, trying to be specific. Catherine tucked the blanket loosely around her upper body as she lay back comfortably "Oh, well, best of luck when you do. I…disliked my first time." She said.

Tara sat on the bed, lying on her side a little "What kind of guy was he?" she asked. Catherine looked at her with sleepy eyes "SHE was rather…wrong for me, let's keep it at that for now." Willow lay next to Tara and began to feel sleep overcome her as well "You mean…you're gay?" she asked. Catherine smiled lightly "Yeah, but that was after some traumatic experience with a few guys." She said, but before she could say more, she fell asleep totally.

Willow wrapped her arms around Tara and rested her head on her shoulder "She seemed to hate thinking about her reasons." Tara said, Willow looked at her with a pout expression.

"Have you ever thought about…you know…" Tara asked shyly. Willow nodded "Yeah!" she said enthusiastically, she shook her head as she realized that she had said that wrong "Well, uh, yeah, I do think about that, but I'm in no hurry." She said. Tara smiled "Yeah, me neither."

Willow took Taras hand gently as she took in a deep breath "I just don't…want to ruin anything, I'm terrified of that." She whispered. Tara rolled over to her other side and came face to face with Willow; she gently smiled as she touched Willows cheek with a gentle touch "I am too. Willow, I know you love me, and I love you, with that…what else could we really want?"

One week later

"Adam!" Buffy yelled from the storage room behind the bar. Methos jumped in his seat as he was trying to avoid her for awhile. Buffy was going nuts with the preparations on the bar that she had named '_Powers That Be_'. The place was opening that very night and Buffy wanted the place to be fully stocked and perfect.

She stormed out of the room and to the bar where he was with his drink and papers "What the hell?" he said exasperatedly as he saw the look on her face, she was frustrated and a little angry, "We still have no beer back there, we have liquor and everything else for drinks, but where the hell is the beer?" she asked, nervous and anxious at the same time. Methos took a deep breath and raised his hand "They delivery guy called earlier, he'll be here in an hour with lots of beer, ok?"

Buffy calmed down and paced behind him a little "Do we have all the people we need?" she asked. Methos nodded his head "All but one, we need one more, a barkeep. I have two resumes here, one is some guy with lousy references, but he's good at the job. And one Catherine Tyler, she's new here and she's had a bit of experience in the position." He said, trying to make up his mind.

It didn't take Buffy long to decide, a few seconds only "Tyler, hire her now." she said "She's my age and someone like that always needs a job, trust me." She said, looking at the resume over Methos' shoulder.

Methos nodded "Ok, there are two numbers here, she's living with friends and another place she stays at, a shop called THE MAGIC BOX." 

Buffy nearly fell to the floor as she heard the name of that shop, Giles' shop "Oh." She said, shocked and silent suddenly. Methos put the resume down and turned to face her, seeing the look of shock on her face "What is it?" he asked her. Buffy seemed to gaze into infinity for a second, oblivious to Methos' question. She shook for a moment and looked at him "Huh? Oh, uh…you remember I told you about Giles?" she asked, Methos silently nodded.

"Well, Giles owns the Magic Shop." She said, Methos thought for a moment, only a moment as he realized the situation that could come of this "She knows your friends." He said "They would most likely come here. We won't hire her then." He said. "No!" Buffy snapped as soon as he said it "Hire her, I want to keep an eye out for them, this is perfect." She said.

Methos glanced her a worried look "Be careful of this line you're walking here Buffy, it's a fine one." He said. Buffy nodded as she looked at the clock, it was a few hours before the opening, and two before nightfall "I'm going out ok? Just call this Catherine Tyler and make sure the beer gets here and put on ice alright?" she asked him. Methos nodded with a smile as she smiled back and walked back to the office to fetch her coat.

She walked back out to the bar, passing by Methos giving him a wave and smile as she headed for the door, her leather coat over her shoulders and everything she needed with her.

The Magic Box

"Will you please come along Giles?" Catherine asked for the hundredth time as she punched the bag with Giles holding it from behind it. "No, it sounds like a frivolous place to go. And I don't see why you need to work there, you have a job here if you'd just ask." He said. Catherine stopped, her hair tied back in a tail, and a few strands were matted to her face from the beads of sweat coming down her forehead.

"It just…doesn't quite seem like my gig y'know? I like the bar, there's music, people…booze." She said with a grin at him. Giles rolled his eyes as he prepared himself for another volley of Catherine's blows through the punching bag. "I did make contacted with the council on your encounter with these so-called watchers, they have nothing to do with them, every one of our current and former operatives have been accounted for…" he said, pausing as one strike winded him.

"Someone will be arriving within a few days to meet you, a temporary liaison." He said in a shaken voice. Catherine stopped and took hold of the chains as she bent forward a little "Great." She said, sounding more upset than happy about it. Giles released the bag and moved next to her, a hand on her shoulder "I assure you, they won't do anything to you." He said, "Just remember one thing Catherine…they work for you, not the other way around. You have the power in the relationship." He said.

Catherine looked up and smiled at him "Thanks." She said, gently touching his arm "Good to know that." She added. "Uh, excuse me?" they heard from the door. The two of them looked up to the door to see Anya there waiting shyly "Catherine, you have a call." She said, pointing her thumb back to the front.

"Thanks." Catherine said as she and Giles rushed to the front, Catherine picked up the phone and spoke into it.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hello, Catherine Tyler?" a voice said back to her.

"Yes, this is she." 

"Oh, ok, this is Adam Pearson from the bar you applied at, the Powers That Be, we've decided to hire you on as our barkeep." The voice said.

Catherine lit up with a smile as she quietly pointed at the receiver and silently yelling for joy, she stopped suddenly "Uh, great! When do you want me to start?" she asked. 

"Uh, we'd like you to begin tonight if that's alright, I apologize for the short notice, but things are mad around here, the owner wanted you to work in fact." He said.

"What time?"

"Ah, we open tonight around nightfall, six o'clock, sound good?" he asked.

Catherine happily nodded "That's good, I'll be there an hour ahead, is that alright?"

"Yes, that's a good idea, see you then Miss Tyler." He said.

Catherine hung up the phone and looked at Giles and Anya looking at her in silence. "I got the job!" she yelled in joy, throwing her arms up in the air, smiling happily. Anya clapped her hands as she smiled immensely "Good! Now you can make lots of money and everything!" she said, sounding like a capitalist as she sometimes did.

Giles grinned and checked his watch "Damn it! I have to go pick up Dawn at school about ten minutes ago. Anya, can you manage until I get back?" he asked, grabbing his coat and heading to the door in a hurry. Anya nodded "Sure!" she chirped. Catherine went towards him "I'm coming too, besides, I need to try and buy some clothes for work."

Sunnydale shopping district

"Dawn, I said I was sorry, I was just late by ten minutes." Giles said as he and Dawn walked with Catherine in the streets with him following from behind. "Giles, I don't mind you being a little late, but when you knew I wanted to go out with Willow and Tara -which is to late by the way- you didn't show up in time." Dawn said to him, not angrily, but frustrated.

Catherine smirked to herself, secretly from Dawn or Giles, she was liking them a lot more these days "Well, at least you got to come along with me right? That's not so bad is it?" Catherine asked with a smile in Dawns direction. Dawn shrugged "No, not really." She said. Truth be told, Dawn didn't know Catherine very well still, and she did want to get to know her as well, so this was a good opportunity to do so.

Catherine stopped when she saw something that caught her eye, leather pants and a shirt with a thin one over top, coming down past her hips "Oh, how much is this?" she asked, rushing over to it. The price was amazing, sale, and it was more than half off "Giles?" she asked, looking back to him. Giles sighed as he looked at his feet "oh alright." He said, inowing to give in than to argue with her, especially when Dawn was there to back her up.

A half hour later, Catherine and Dawn were carrying some bags in their hands out of the store, they had apparently spent more of Giles money than expected. Catherine had found a nice piece for Sawn as well, even with Giles objecting, they got it for her. 

"So, was that so bad?" Catherine asked Dawn, tapping her on the shoulder with her own, smiling at the teenager. Dawn looked at her smiling "Ok, it was a good time, I'm glad I came along." She said. "Um, does that mean I'm forgiven?" Giles asked as he rushed up next to them with his hands in his pockets. Catherine winked at Dawn, and Dawn just nodded with a smile "Ok. You're forgiven." She said. "Why thank you." He said with a calm yet distinguished voice.

They decided to look around some more, Giles offered to pay for one more item each, and Dawn choose the place, a clothing store with a retro fashion sense. Dawn walked in first with Catherine behind her and Giles carrying the bags, all of them.

They began to go through the clothes, a lot of them weren't to any of their standards, and Giles was feeling pretty uneasy when they went through the underwear section (womens underwear to be precise.)

Dawn was about to give up and leave with the others when she heard something familiar. 

"How much?" a woman asked, that voice, so familiar.

Dawn couldn't see who was, it was coming from another part of the store, she only heard it vaguely. She left Catherine and Giles in search of this woman. She walked into the coats section to find a woman with raven black hair, she saw her eyes barely as she was behind some clothes, they were green. She moved through the people and clothes between them. But she was too late as the woman went to the cash register, away from her.

Dawn moved again, through the racks and stuff between them, she saw the woman totally now from behind, she stood away off from her, watching intently and curiously, hoping to see her face. 

Buffy handed the money to the cashier with a smile, her new coat was then placed in a bag and handed to her. "Thank you, please shop with us again soon." The young woman said happily. Buffy nodded and smiled back as she took the bag and turned to walk away. Who she saw caught her eye and made her stop dead inside. Dawn, standing there staring back at her.

"Uh, hello." Buffy said, trying to change her voice, but with little degree of success. Dawn stared at her almost in shock "I-I…Just thought you looked like someone I knew….I'm sorry." She said before rushing away from her. Buffy watched as Dawn rushed off to Giles at the front of the store and another woman, her age roughly. Dark hair like hers was, a little taller though. 

Buffy looked around and noticed the rear exit, it was already open to let a breeze come in the hot store. She quickly moved for it without hesitation, looking over her shoulder at Dawn once more, she stopped and pressed against a corner, eyeing her sister from hiding distance. Oh, her heart pumped her blood so quickly now, finally seeing her little sister again, the only thing that still hurt her was that she was still hiding her true self from Dawn.

"Giles…" Dawn said, walking up to them. Catherine and Giles turned to her with concern "Dawn, you look like you've seen a ghost." Giles said, noticing the paleness of her skin. Dawn swallowed hard "No…just Buffy."

The Powers That Be Bar

Methos went over some of the books that he had moved with him, very old, others were rewrites of older ones. He scanned through a couple of them, mumbling the words out to himself.

__

There is a legend. About four women who fell from the stars as if they were fallen angels. People say that they are only legend, a myth, even told as a fairytale. But they will come, they shall walk among us.

One, whom death shall not take, slayer of evil, shall lead, deliver the world from darkness. In a time when Evil reigned supreme. Where freedom is but a dying memory, when there are nearly no champions left to fight against the evil in the lands.

They will show us what it means to be free, how to live again, how to stop being afraid.

People will come from all over the land to meet them, to fight at their side without question, and they will lead us, fight against insurmountable odds.

Together the four shall bring peace and freedom back, and fight back the darkness, thus breathing new life into us, now and forever.

You see, they won't just be warriors, or champions, or even slayers…they are to be heros.

Methos sat back in his seat, looking into space "That's it." He said quietly to himself "It's her…Buffy." Just then the door flung open, he turned to see her standing there, looking very distressed. He stood up from his seat and walked towards her. Buffy sat down on the step and huddled, pulling her knees close to herself "I saw my sister less than a half hour ago." She said plainly.

Methos walked up and sat next to her "Are you ok?" he asked her, touching her shoulder gently. Buffy didn't answer just yet, waited a few moments "I lied to her, acted as though she were a total stranger…when all I wanted to do was rush up and hold her, tell her how much I love her." She said, her voice becoming quieter and quieter.

"Maybe you will, soon." He said "Just find a way to tell them the truth, until then, keep your distance, look out for them." He said. Buffy looked at him sith a sad yet appreciative look "Thanks Adam, I will." She said before patting his shoulder with a shy smile and getting back up, taking her bags and heading towards the back room.

Spikes Crypt

"Dawn, I'm telling you it couldn't have been her." Spike said, pacing in front of Dawn with a cigarette in between his fingers. Dawn sat on the large tomb near the back of the room, looking at him, her legs crossed and leaning into them on her elbows "Spike, I'm telling you it was, she looked a little different but she looked just like Buffy!" she said.

Spike shook his head and took a drag from the smoke in his hand "Dawn, she's dead. Gone, buried, I wish like hell she were still here with us…but she isn't."

Dawn shot up to her feet from where she sat and stood up in front of him "It's her! I know it!" she said to him angrily. Spike stopped pacing and stood in front of the girl, speechless and staring at her "Ok then…say you're right, what do we do then if it is her?"

Dawn wasn't sure then "I don't know really." She said, defeated by herself. Spike smirked as he shook his head "Ok then, we just keep an eye out, not hard to miss someone in this town." He said.

Dawn lessened her posture and looked at him "You do believe me though…right?", Spike sighed deeply and shrugged, he wouldn't lie to Dawn, or patronize her, she knew him that way best "A little, I believe you a little."

Los Angeles

"So, I see you're feeling back to your normal self." Host said as Angel walked into his bar. Angel took a seat along with a drink, he had come alone this time out. "Yeah, more or less. I need advice, or help." Angel said, shy in some ways.

Host put his drink down and looked at him curiously "Really? Ok, what about buddy?" he asked, eager to help out in whatever way that Angel had in mind. Angel began to squirm in his seat a little as the question was going to be torture on him "About...women." he said, looking at Host with such nervous eyes. 

Host (Loren) nearly spit his drink out as he heard Angel ask about women "I assume it's Winifred right?" he asked, looking at Angel in almost shock "Yeah, of course it is, who else would it be? Geez Angel, you know about your curse right? This is kind of a gamble isn't it?" Host asked in an urgent tone.

Angel slouched in his seat and nodded his head low "Yeah, but I can't seem to help it, I'm falling in love with her. It's like everything about her appeals to me, the fact that my demon half doesn't scare her in the least is like a gift in a way. And the way she looks, acts…I don't know what to do." He said.

Host shook his head, this was something of a difficult situation, no doubting that. He was about to answer when he saw the entrance, Winifred walked in herself. Host looked at Angel "Did Fred come with you?" he asked. Angel looked up sharply at Host "No, why?" he asked. 

Host nodded his head at the entrance "She just walked in." he said. Angels eyes went wide as he bolted to the ground, Host thought what the hell he was doing and did the same "Why you hiding?" he asked urgently and frustrated "This is a good suit." He mumbled as they watched her from under the table.

"I don't want her to see me, I haven't told her how I feel." Angel whispered to him, looking at Fred as looked around the bar, and took a seat right at their table. Angel and Host scurried back rapidly, acting like mice "Now what?" Host hissed. Angel looked at him with frustration "You don't have to hide, this is YOUR bar." He said. Host rolled his eyes "Why don't you talk to her?" he asked.

Angel shrugged "I'm afraid." He said plainly. Host shook his head "That's part of the game, take a guess Angel. You're supposed to be, that's your humanity calling there, answer it." He said to the vampire.

Angel looked forward (which happened to be where Winifreds legs were just a foot from his face) and thought, he couldn't keep hiding himself from her, he really wanted something with her. But on the minus side he would have to be cautious with how it would go if something did evolve from his feelings for her.

Winifred sat at the table quietly, trying to figure out where Loren was, he was usually at the bar or this table, and he wasn't on stage either, so she decided to wait. 

"Hey!" Angel said as she saw his head appear from under the table, with a shy look on his face. Fred nearly jumped out of her seat with a yelp as she lightly jumped "Angel! W-what are you doing under there?" she asked, touching her chest, feeling her heart pumping quickly. Angel smiled shyly as he took a seat next to her "Uh, nothing, what you doing here?" he asked. 

Winifred shrugged "Nothing, you?"

Angel shook his head "Just here for the drinks." He said, looking at her with a steady gaze "Do you want something to drink?" he asked. Winifred smiled sheepishly with a nod "Sure." 

Just then, Host popped up from under the table also with a smile on his face "Sure thing, let me get one for ya." He said, causing Fred to jump once more. When Host left to the bar, Fred looked at Angel "Is there anyone else under there?"

Sunnydale

The bar was booming, there were more people here than there was at the Bronze usually. There were a dozen and more dancing to the music playing, dozens talking as they drank their beers. 

Catherine was at the bar, handing out beers and drinks with the supervisor Mr. Pearson whom was also the second barkeep. At first she felt overwhelmed by the enormous crowd, but after and hour it had quieted down much. Right now, Willow and Tara were on the dance floor moving to the music, Spike had arrived a little while ago to congratulate her and to have a drink at the bar, talking to her when she wasn't busy.

Xander and Anya were with Willow and Tara dancing, having a good time, they had to admit that this new place was a good one, the beers were a little cheaper than at the bronze, and the music was just as good, maybe a little better.

Giles and Dawn were with Spike at the bar, Mr. Pearson said that the owner had no objections to Dawn being in the bar at anytime, as long as she didn't drink anything with alcohol in it. Dawn was smiling happily as Catherine was having a good time with her new job, and she found that Mr. Pearson was ok too. He had been giving her some cola on the house this evening.

Giles had been talking to Pearson mainly, surprised that he was quite the intellectual like himself.

Buffy was watching from the back end of the bar, seeing Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander dancing, smiling and laughing as they just let their worries fade away for the time they had here. And seeing Giles, the man whom was in almost every way her father, talking to Methos, she would definitely talk to Methos about it later, grill him for every detail.

She smiled to herself softly as she saw Dawn and Spike talking with that woman, Buffy was surprised to see that she was the same person with Giles and Dawn from the store in town. She smiled as she saw Spike joking around with her, talking, pointing and talking about something she couldn't even hear. She began to pay much attention to Spike, how he acted as her big brother, talking to her in the cold truth of life.

She looked around, the DJ was playing album after album, people dancing all around, a few couples making out in the dark corners. This felt great, it felt like home.

Outside

"She's in there. Prepare to move in and retrieve the slayer." A man said, his face covered in the shadows as he spoke in a radio to twenty others. "No, wait till she leaves the place, we don't need any attention drawn to ourselves, remember, we work as secretly as possible!" another yelled back. The man who spoke previously nodded "Yes sir, sorry sir." He said back.

"Ok, wait. The place closes in a hour, when that happens, we retrieve her, all units, fan out, watch all exits for her."

An hour later, back alley

Catherine was closing up the bar, Mr. Pearson and the owner were inside doing the rest of the clean up. Catherine had dumped the last of the trash in the bin. She smiled to herself, they had given her an excellent salary and the tips she had gotten were great.

As she was walking back inside, she heard the thumps of feet hitting the asphalt. She spun around to see three men standing there, looking like black ops soldiers with weapons in hand.

She knew who they were off the bat, the ones who called themselves watchers. "You're coming back with us, NOW!" one of them said. Catherine glared at them "Like hell." She growled as she rushed towards them, not giving them the chance to react. 

Catherine leapt in the air, putting all her weight back she flipped backwards, letting her feet smash in one of the mens jaw with tremendous force, sending him back more than five feet. Catherine landed on her feet to see the other two on their way towards her, one of them was screaming into a radio, she could expect their buddies to show up at any time now.

Catherine spun around and bent her leg, as she came around to face the one on her right. Her leg shot out and hit him in the face hard, nearly taking his head off as he back flipped and crashed on the ground. 

But the third man caught hold of her from behind, placing something over her nose and mouth, she began to feel dizzy and light headed.

She was about to pass out when she was suddenly released and fell to the ground, all around her she could only hear what followed. Gun shots, screaming and sounds of fighting and punches landed. She leaned against the wall not far from her and kneeled up, opening her eyes, what she saw surprised her. 

Spike was there, fighting as best he could, she saw that when he hit on of them he screamed painfully almost dropping to his knees. He was suckering them in, using them against each other, it was more of a fight for a tactician than a fighter, and Spike was loosing ground apparently.

Spike regrouped, rushing over to Catherine, putting an arm around her as the so-called 'watchers' retreated and regrouped. "You ok luv?" he asked, breathing hard and sweating lightly. Catherine could hardly think straight, his words were like echos, her body felt so heavy "Spike?"

They were surrounded now, dozens of them at all dies, them against the wall "I'm sorry, I've done it again." Spike whispered.

Just as the watchers were about to strike, they heard the sounds of metal, a sword being unsheathed. They turned to see a figure standing there, a woman with a black coat on, coming down to her knees, her sword was of an odd look, it wasn't straight as others were, it had curves to it, the width was thick, and looked razor sharp. It was an Egyptian blade, a little shorter than other swords by nearly an inch.

"Get away from them." She said, her voice was low and intimidating, even to the watchers. They turned to face her "Who the hell are you?" one of them asked, stepping towards her. The woman stepped up to him, the obvious leader "Not that it matters, to you, I'm Sarah Montrose." She said.

Spike listened carefully, not getting a clear view of their obvious, the scent he got from this woman, it was so familiar to him, he knew it, the blood coursing through her veins. "Buffy?" he whispered to himself, standing up, looking at her clearly now. the woman with dark raven hair, jade green eyes. The look was different, but for Spike, who knew her face like the wind of life and death itself.

She locked eyes with him, seeing her lips move "Spike." She whispered. Spike was speechless, but the moment left as Buffy snapped to life, her fist thrashing at the leaders face quickly and harshly. She spun around and let the hilt of her sword strike another one. 

She was moving so fast that in the few seconds it took her, more than half of the men were on the ground, and the rest were retreating with their wounded. Spike stood there, Catherine on the ground behind him. He looked around, his arms at his sides. "Wow." He said, when he looked up, he saw her standing in the shadows "Buffy? Is it you?" he asked, moving closer a little. 

Buffy looked at him, silently she backed away, she thought she was ready, when he recognized her she thought it would be all good and well. 

"Is she alright?" she asked, trying to act like a stranger. Spike turned around to see Catherine beginning to regain her demeanor, he looked back to find her mere inches from his "Dawn…is she…doing well?" she asked, he saw the look in her eyes, it was her "Yes, we're all looking out for her, I'm keeping my promise." He said. 

Buffy leaned into him, putting her arms around her "Thank you."

End Part 4


	5. Love discovered, tragedies found.

Disclaimer: 

Disclaimer: None of these Characters are mine except for Catherine Tyler, the others belong to their respected parties.

****

Strength and Honor

By: Marcus

Part 5

Spike knocked on the door to Giles and Dawns place. Dawn opened the door to find him carrying Catherine in his arms, he had a few bruises and cuts himself, but nothing-serious "Spike! Catherine! Come in Spike, is she alright?" she asked as Spike flew past her, putting Catherine down on the sofa, Giles rushing out to see to the slayer.

"I don't know who the buggers were, but they were human, and…someone saved us." He said, hiding the truth of Buffy's existence of being alive as best he could. Giles looked up at him as seeing that Catherine was just fine for the most part "Who helped you?" he asked. Spike gulped not sure whether to tell them the truth or not.

"I did." A voice said from the doorway, still open. A woman stood there, Dawns eyes widened, her knees felt so weak suddenly. Floods of memories burst into her head, such joy and tears of happiness.

"Buffy." She gasped, running towards her. Buffy rushed to her as well. They collided, holding each other in their arms "Oh Dawn, I'm so sorry for leaving you alone for this long." Buffy whispered into her ear. Dawn wept tears, so much "I knew it was you." She said.

Giles stood in shock as he watched who had just walked in the door, Buffy. He felt like something woke up inside of him "Buffy." He said, walking towards them, she looked up at her and just held her, like a father to a long lost daughter "Giles, I missed you." She said to him. Giles smiled as he tightened his hold on him "Buffy…thank god your alive…I love you so much." He said, holding back his own tears unsuccessfully.

After an hour, things had settled down and they were all seated, Catherine had woken up totally and finally met Buffy. "I envy you, you know?" Buffy told her. Catherine smirked and shook her head "Why?" she asked, confused. Buffy sat back on the sofa, looking at her "So many times when I first started slaying, I wished I could ask my predecessor for advice, help, How she dealt with it all. I'm here if you need that advice." She said.

Catherine smiled "Thanks, but it's a little too late, I've been doing this since I was…fourteen? Jeez, so long ago, childhood lost." She said. 

Giles was with Spike in the kitchen, finding something to eat. Giles was leaning back on the counter, looking at Buffy through the space in the wall. "I can't believe it, it's really her…but how? We all saw her body didn't we?" he asked Spike, rummaging through the refrigerator "I don't know Giles, I just know that she's back, and not much else matters." He said as he pulled out a bottle of whiskey "Drink?" he asked, closing the door and walking to where the glasses were.

"Uh, yes, please." Giles said, still thinking mostly about Buffy.

Dawn lay against her sister, her arm around her waist as she was slowly falling asleep. "Dawn? You still awake?" she heard her sister say. Dawn moaned lightly "Yeah, wide awake." She said, still half asleep. Buffy smiled, gently stroking Dawns cheek "I'm proud of you Dawn, you've been brave…I love you." She whispered.

Dawn heard her words, and fell asleep fully.

Los Angeles

"One taco for the lady." Angel said, handing Winifred her taco. They went to a Taco Bell, she had always been telling them and him how much she loved them. "Thanks, you sure you're not hungry?" she asked him. Angel nodded as he took a seat across from her "I'm ok, besides, I have no sense of taste anyway." He said.

Fred sat there, devouring her taco, she moaned lightly as the taste of it just overwhelmed her taste buds, "Shame, you'd love this." She said, swallowing the food and smiling at him kindly. 

"Why do you distance yourself from everything?" she asked him. Angel shrugged "I don't know…I'm afraid I guess, If I get to involved I'll loose myself. I already did awhile ago, before we met…I almost didn't make it back to who I am now. I almost lost the others." He said, "I can't let that happen." 

Winifred finished her taco and looked at him intently, "Angel, if you keep distancing yourself like this, you'll never find your way back…especially when you become human again." She said.

Angel shrugged "I don't know how." He said. Fred smiled at him and reached out for him "Come on, I want you to bring us somewhere." She said, leading him back to the car.

Angel drove as per her directions, out of the city and to a dirt road. It led them out to a cliff where the city could be seen, the lights, buildings; it was a beautiful sight. "See that?" she asked, sitting closer to him. Angel nodded, not seeing the point to this "Yeah, it's LA" he said. Winifred leaned into him, staring out into the night "Say hello to the human race, this is part of what you fight for." She said.

Angel could somewhat understand, this was what he was becoming a part of, a loose thread not yet woven into the tapestry, part of the creation. "Hello." He said to himself, and to her, and to the world. He placed his arm around Winifred shyly, not too sure if he should. Winifred smiled lightly as she looked on to the night and city lights before them.

Sunnydale

"I don't understand Buffy, how are you still alive?" Giles asked, sitting next to her, as Catherine was next to Spike, beginning to feel a little tired as well. Buffy lowered her head, not looking him in the eye "It's…a secret, something as old as humanity itself Giles." She said, taking a deep breath "I'm immortal, so is Adam Pearson, the man you met at the bar. The only way to kill us is to take off our heads." She said.

Giles removed his glasses, squinting "How many immortals are there?" he asked, becoming fascinated in this talk. Buffy shrugged "Number changes every day, but the game is what we fight for." She said. "The game?" Spike said, curious as to what that was. Buffy lowered her head "We fight…until there is only one of us left. For the prize, and no, I don't know what the prize is, none of us do."

"So…you all go around chopping each others heads off?" Spike asked, finding this rather disturbing in some ways. Buffy shook her head "No, a lot of us prefer to fight only when we have to, honorable combat. Duncan taught me that way." She said.

She saw the questions still on their faces; she smiled and leaned into the palm of her hand "Ok, here we go…."

Elsewhere in Los Angeles

Faith Evans walked out of the prison and into the street, she had no idea why she had been released without parole. Only that they were in a really big hurry for her to leave. She looked around and saw only a black car and a man standing beside it with an umbrella out, he seemed to be waiting for her. The rain had begun to come down hard, and she hurried to him.

"Faith Evans I presume?" the man asked in an English accent, Faith nodded as the man placed the umbrella over her head as well as his "Yeah, that's me." She said, "Who are you?" she asked. The English man nodded with a smile "I and Ethan Cromwell, I represent the watchers council." He said. 

Faith stiffened at the mention of the council, she almost ran for it, but the fact that there was just Ethan himself and that she wasn't already being attacked, as well as the fact that she was released with no strings attached. Ethan waved his hand calmly "No, no, please allow me to explain. We had you released. We believe that you are prepared to proceed to the next part of rehabilitation."

"When you had turned yourself in, we believed at first that you were trying to hide from us, but after time, you remained in this facility. We monitored you frequently, and we believe that your next step is now to come back to the world. We need you." He said, stopping to look at her. 

"Why me? Why not Buffy?" Faith asked, wondering why not go for someone who was (in her eyes) better than her. Ethan lowered his gaze; a regretful expression came over his features "She's no longer among the living." He said, trying to make it as proper as he could. "What the hell does that…" she began, but then it clicked in her head "No…" she said, her eyes wide with regret and sorrow.

She looked closely at the old man, graying hair, light beard, a little shorter than herself. He was serious, his expression wasn't fake "She died a few months ago, defeating a hell god named Glory. She saved the world to be frank, I'm on my way there myself and I want you to come with me, a new slayer has been called, and she's in a situation where we are most definitely involved." He said.

Faith nodded "I'm with ya Ethan, all the way. I won't let you guys down again, I promise." She said. Ethan grinned lightly with a nod, he turned to open the car door that was now before them. "I promise Buffy." Faith whispered to herself.

Sunnydale

Their feet walked across the grass, the two sisters walking over the lawn. Buffy and Dawn had spent every second together since her return to them. They were now walking to Xanders apartment where Xander and the other who had not yet know of her continued existence were waiting for what Giles said was an important surprise.

"You ready?" Dawn asked, as she stopped her sister in front of the building. Buffy breathed in deeply "No, but I don't think I will be any time soon so let's just go and…" she said, beginning to ramble on a little until Dawn stopped her. "Hey, don't be so worried, they'll understand why you were gone for so long. I did, Spike and Giles did too." She said, giving her big sister some courage.

Buffy grinned as she shook her head with her eyes closed for a second "Where's Spike with his flask when you need him?" she joked. Dawn smiled and stood beside her sister with her arms around her "Come on, let's go."

"What's the surprise?" Anya asked impatiently "I love surprises." She added with a smile. Giles smiled to himself "Then you're going to enjoy this one Anya." He said. Spike was across the room from him standing in the dark spot of the corner, Catherine was talking with Willow and Tara who were keeping their patience at bay, barely.

There was a knock at the door and Xander stood up to answer it "I have a hard time believing that whatever Giles has in store for us, It can't be…" he paused as he opened the door to be face to face with Buffy "Major?" he finished before going quiet and fell back unconscious. Everyone stood up in a second, Dawn and Giles rushed to Xander who was already regaining consciousness.

"Uh…hi?" Buffy said as she waved at them with extreme shyness. Willow ran towards her and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly, tears flowing from her eyes "Oh my god, it's you. You're alive." She whispered, she kept rambling on and on thanking god that Buffy was back and alive.

"Giles?" Xander said in a weak voice as he looked up from the floor "I had the craziest dream…Buffy." He began, as they were helping him up he saw Willow and Tara next to her hugging someone, when she moved away he saw her, Buffy standing there with everyone else gathering around her "Oh…My…God." He said before he rushed up to her quickly.

"Buffy!" he said loudly as he threw his arms around her tightly, nearly suffocating her. "It's you! It's really you!" he yelled, lifting her off the ground. Anya was already at his side when he put her down, smiling yet still so confused at how this was to be. "I don't get it, we saw your body, you died." She stopped and looked around her to see everyone staring at her, she looked back at Buffy shyly "But we're ALL really happy that you're here and alive!" she said with a wide smile.

Buffy smiled "Thanks, I'm sorry I left like this and stayed away for so long guys, but I had too." She said. Everyone shook their heads, they had no misgivings about her absence, all they cared about was that she was here and alive.

Los Angeles

Angel and Winifred walked into the lobby of the hotel to find the lights off, and the room wasn't empty. Angel could smell blood, not spilled blood, flowing blood, from within someone's living body. Winifred moved behind him as his hand slowly pushed her with ease. "Who's there?" he said in a stern voice.

They waited a few moments, the silence felt deafening to Winifred, but she kept silent, letting Angel handle the situation. "C'mon Angel, don't tell me that you forgot all about me so soon?" a voice came from the shadows. They watched as a young woman emerged from the darkness.

"Faith." Angel said, loosening up a little "What are you doing here? Did you break out of prison?" he asked, almost becoming afraid for what she may have done. Faith flipped the switch, and the lights dimly turned on "No, I was released, with the help of some friends." She said, urging her head towards the sofa near them. Angel and Winifred looked to see a man sitting there, old, graying hair.

"Hello Angel, I am Quentin Travers. I belong with the watchers, and we need your help." He said, Angel vaguely remembered hearing about Quentin Travers, he was the head of the watchers council as far as he knew, and heard about how Buffy took _them_ back. "What do you need my help for?" he asked.

Quentin stood up and walked past Faith, there were a couple other watchers there with them, not uncommon. "There are problems coming about, certain individuals that are hunting the new slayer are calling themselves watchers, but they are not our people, they've already struck once in Sunnydale against her. Fortunately William, your progeny, was there to protect her the best he could with that implant the Initiative put in him. We need you to locate these individuals, and tell us where they are." He said "We must head for Sunnydale now." he added.

Angel stood there, Winifred behind him, he looked at Faith who nodded at him, if she trusted them enough to still stand with them after what happened, then so could he "Ok, I'll help you." He said. Quentin clapped his hands "Good! Gather your people and we'll prepare for our departure, say two hours?" he asked. Angel nodded without emotion, he still wasn't very fond of the watchers, but was still willing to aid them "Two hours it is." He said.

Sunnydale – Powers that Be Bar

Methos paced the room quickly, and was totally on the edge. His nerves were playing havoc with him. He was waiting impatiently to hear back from Buffy, his research had come to an end and the results were confusing and very frightening.

The door flew open suddenly, he spun around on the spot to see her there, standing and smiling at him with her friends close behind her except for Spike who had just walked in behind him. "Hey Adam, what's up? You don't look so well." She said as they all walked in.

"Where in the hell have you been? I've been going nuts waiting for you, you're cell phone is off by the way!" Methos said as he walked up to her. She looked at him in surprise "What's with you?" she asked.

Methos shook his head "I was doing some research while you were off gallivanting…" he began, Giles and the others took a seat seeing as how this was somewhat going to come first whether they liked it or not, he noticed that there was something oddly familiar about Methos, as did Spike for some reason.

"I was researching a prophecy I read a…long time ago, when I was roughly your age." He said. Xander stood up "Wait, you're immortal too?" he asked. Methos and Buffy turned to him and the others "Yes, my name is Methos." He said. Buffy smirked to herself "Yeah, the oldest." She said.

Methos turned to her, but since her friends were all here, he should tell them all "Ok." He said, turning to them all "I assume you've all had experience with prophecies coming true?" he asked. Everyone nodded. "Ok, I found a prophecy retaining to you, or at least a slayer, but there seem to be more than one so I'm not positive. It tells of a time far in the future where you…liberate humanity." He said.

Buffy looked at Catherine sharply, this wasn't just about her, it was them, and even possibly Faith. Buffy shook her head "It doesn't matter now, we still have that situation with these so-called watchers that are after Catherine, once we get done with that, we can focus on this." She said "By the way, you get a band set for tonight?" she asked, way off subject.

Methos nearly jumped out of his skin, and ran away to the back room, "Oh shit! I knew I forgot something!" he scream aloud.

Los Angeles

"The watchers?! You're trusting the watchers? And Faith? Have you lost it again Angel?" Cordellia said loudly. Wesley and Gunn were right there next to her, Wesley had his reservations about them as well, and Faith too. But Gunn had no idea who they were as well as Faith.

Angel shook his head "Guys I know it wasn't my call, but Faith seems to trust them on some level, so I will too. The new slayer needs help, why shouldn't we help?" he asked, Winifred sitting on the sofa aways off from them, listening closely to their conversation.

"Angel made the right call." Wesley said, Cordelia looked at him in surprise, but not total, she would expect this from him, he always did feel some obligation to Faith, even after his experience with her before she regained her emotions and guilt. "We will help her, anyone who doesn't want in, doesn't have to come along." He said, looking to Gunn and Cordellia. 

Cordellia shook her head "You know I'm in." she said to him smiling. Gunn nodded "Me too man, somebody's got to watch out for you crazy white folk." He said jokingly. 

Wesley smiled "Alright then, its settled. Gather whatever you need and we'll leave in an hour. Should the Host come as well? He is a part of our team for more or less." He asked. They all nodded, so did Wesley "Alright then, ill go pick him up on my way back." He said.

Sunnydale

The night had come and Buffy's bar was booming with music and people drinking and dancing. As she had come to do usually, she was sitting in the dark corner above, sitting at her table looking down at the crowd of people. Looking down at the people she had once given her life for, and looking back now she knew this one thing…it was worth it all.

"Care for some company luv?" a voice came from near her, she looked over to see Spike standing there looking down at her with a look she ever rarely saw, emotion, care, maybe even love. Buffy smiled at him warmly "Please do Spike." She said. Smile smiled as he usually smiled and sat down next to her, bottle of beer in his hand, he looked to where she was.

"I used to do this a lot too, look at them from a distance." He said to her, looking away from the crowd and at Buffy. She looked to find him looking at her, the look on his face made her much more comfortable "Why did you stop?" she asked him, he voice low and gentle to his ears.

Spike sighed and took a drink from his beer, looking back out to the crowd "For me, it was like I was looking for…someone. Then you came along and put my life through the grinder." He said, looking over to her with a small grin "But when the spinning stopped, when I finally stopped fighting what was happening to me, I seemed to have found what I was looking for." He said, moving closer to her, inch by inch.

"And what was that?" Buffy asked him, leaning closer to him over the table, smiling for some reason, she just felt different around him now, like some wall was removed between them. Spike inched even closer to her, he was barely inches away from her, face to face "I found you, that light I was looking for. Even when I was human, I searched, and here you are." He said, closing the gap between them quickly, sealing his words with a gentle kiss on her lips.

Buffy was caught off guard for that moment, she moved into the kiss out of a lack of her own self control '_What am I doing?_' she thought to herself. She shot back away from him, shocked. She covered her mouth with her slender fingers, backed away a few steps.

Spike stood up, staring at her, looking heart broken "You once told me that the only chance I ever had with you was when you were out cold. I don't believe that, not for an instant." He said, stepping closer to her "Yeah, I was obsessed with you at one point, 'cause I was confused, I was having feelings that I never felt before. I know what that was I was feeling, what I do now." He said, taking her had from her lips, gently holding it. "I love you, I never said it before, but I can now, 'cause I'm sure of what I'm feeling." He said.

Buffy stood there, feeling the touch of his hand to hers, breathing a little quickly, looking into those cold eyes, and she saw the truth, the only warmth left in him, the only pure light left, was the love he felt for her. She looked up at him with scared eyes, not afraid of some evil, afraid of what was happening, her lack of control in all this. Thus she did the only thing that she could do, leaned forward and kissed him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him, as his arms wrapped around her, pressing them together. After what seemed like an endless eternity, their kiss ended, she looked up at him, into his eyes "Spike, I…" she began, but before she could continue talking, an explosion rocked them and the rest of the bar.

Buffy and Spike rushed to the railing o see people rushing out of the entrance as there was a cloud of smoke coming from a huge hole on the far wall. A group of black ops looking commandos rushed into the bar, pulling out guns. Spike turned to Buffy, "It's them, they're here for Catherine." He said.

Buffy nodded "And they just put a hole in my wall, and that pisses me off." She said, looking at him "Care to help me kick some ass?" she asked with a smile. Spike looked down to see the others surrounded "Oh yeah." He said as his face changed to its demon appearance.

The two of them leapt off the railing and landed on the floor behind the soldiers, the renegade watchers "Hey! You just put a hole in my wall!" Buffy yelled, getting their attention away from her friends. She saw the fear in Dawns eyes, and this only enraged her further. The watchers trained their weapons on them, but before they had a chance, Buffy and Spike rushed them, knocking several of them unconscious.

Spike dropped to the floor screaming, clutching his head in pain as millions of firecrackers exploded in his brain. Catherine jumped over him quickly as Buffy was becoming cornered my commandos, she flipped in the air and did the splits upside down, letting her feet collide with two of them along side their heads, knocking them away, giving Buffy a window of escape.

"Thanks, where's Spike?" Buffy asked Catherine. "Right here." He said, coming up beside her from behind. "Glad your ok." Buffy whispered to him, but not low enough to escape Catherine ears. "Ok, Giles! Get the others out of here now!" Buffy yelled behind her. As told to do so, they all kept low and rushed towards the exit, leaving the two slayers and vampire to deal with this threat.

They rushed into the back room where they were stopped by the sounds of swords being unsheathed. Giles stood in front of the others on reflex as he faced the newcomers "Who?" he asked, looking at their faces. There were three of them standing by Methos, the one with short black hair raised his hand to them "Don't worry, we're here to help." He said, a Scottish accent registered to Giles.

The Scotsman turned to the others "Joe, help them get out of here, Amanda and Methos come on, lets help Buffy." He said, bringing his sword upright and walking with the others to the bar.

Buffy was struck by a backhand, the force of it was enough to send her spiraling over the bar, leaving Spike and Catherine on their own. "Hey, still here moron!" Buffy yelled back as she got back up from behind the bar. The commando, now without his weapon (as all of them were) pulled out a sword, a short one, pathetic looking really. Buffy smiled asd he and two others were converging on her, taking the load off of the others.

As they were in striking distance of her, Buffy smiled at then and shocked them by pulling out her sword, razor sharp and curved blade, they immediately stopped in their tracks and looked at her. Buffy kept smiling "Mines bigger!" she retorted as she leapt over the bar on one hand and delivered a quick kick to one of the closer ones, sending him flying a few feet away.

The other two tried to tackle her, but she spun out of the way, leaving her foot out to trip one of them, he flew across the air and landed around his accomplices feet, causing him to trip up as well.

Buffy shook her head "Amateurs." She said before going on to help Catherine, Spike had passed out from all the hits he was dishing out to the attackers whom were all human. Buffy leapt at one of them, but found that he was the leader obviously when he caught her in mid air with a shot to her stomach. 

Buffy landed on the ground on her side, arm around her stomach as she coughed raspy through the pain. She brought her sword up just in time to block his from taking her head, she looked up to the leader, her playful expression was gone, replaced with the look of a warrior, hardened by battle, strengthened by love. 

She pushed with all her might and sword, pushing the leader back away from her. Buffy got up to her feet slowly, keeping her eyes trained on this leader covered by a mask. But before she could attack, she heard a familiar voice "Touch her and you'll lose a body part every time you do."

She turned to see Duncan and Amanda standing with Methos by the entrance to the backroom. He face lit up with a smile to see him and Amanda again, but it was short as she turned back to the watchers who had regrouped and Catherine carrying Spike back to Buffy.

Duncan and Amanda backed them up, coming up beside them as Methos took Spike to the back of the bar. "Duncan." Buffy said, smiling lightly. "Hey, we came by to see you and here you are in trouble, we can't leave you alone for a day can we darling." Amanda said jokingly as she trained her sword on the remaining renegades.

"Macleod." The leader said hoarsely. Duncan looked at him with his sword trained on him "Who are you? And how do you know my name?" he demanded. The leader removed his mask quickly, a man stood before them, blond hair and brown eyes, his glare was filled with hatred towards them in general.

"My name is Alexander, Alexander Hunt." He said, exposing his wrist, showing the tattoo of the watchers sign, the watchers to the immortals. "My father was a watcher who died because of your kind." He said. Duncan shook his head "Alex, listen to me, a lot of misgivings happened back then, many mistakes, but we're getting it right now, don't throw that away!" he said.

Alexander shook his head "It'll only be right when your kind are wiped off the face of the earth, who better than to begin with you and then the demons, and taking a slayer out is just as good." He said with a glaring look to Buffy as well as Spike in the background. 

Alex paused as he touched the radio on his head, hearing a report from elsewhere, he looked back at them with a wicked smile "Well, we'll meet again, I want a rematch slayer." He said with a smile as he and his people cleared out of the bar in a few seconds.

"Why'd they take off so…" Buffy began, but when it occurred to her that Alexander was spoken to from someone else who wasn't there, she bolted to the back door "No!" she cried as she ran into the back alley.

The door burst open for her to see everyone on the damp ground, Giles was seeing to Xander and Anya as Joe was helping Tara get an unconscious Willow inside. Buffy scanned through them, there was someone who wasn't there, "Where's Dawn?" she asked aloud, feeling a dead feeling of weight in her chest. Everyone looked at her with looks of regret and upset emotion.

"They took her Buffy, I'm sorry." Giles said to her regretfully. Buffy slowly shook her head '_No, not again…not again_' she thought to herself. In the distance, they heard tires screeching, she looked to the end of the alley to see a van taking off. The end of the alley was only ten feet away.

"Dawn!" she cried out as she bolted to the end of the alley with all her strength. Before anyone knew it she was on the street, Spike ran after her as well as Catherine and Duncan. "Dawn!" Buffy cried again, chasing after the van as fast as she could, reaching for it. It felt like it was just out of touch for her fingers. She looked in the rear window to see Dawn appear "Buffy!" she could hear, muffled through the glass.

The van screeched with a halt, causing Buffy to crash into it before she could stop running. Her head hit the ground hard as she could hear the van taking off. She weakly rose her head to see Dawn yelling from the back of the van as it speeded away from her and the others.

Buffy rolled over to see Spike looking down at her, taking hold of her weakened body "Buffy! Talk to me, are you alright?" she heard him asking her, his voice sounding like echoes before she passed out.

Buffy awoke in the bar, there was a small cot in the back room set up, she had that in case she decided o make it a long night and decide to stay there for the rest of the night to sleep. She heard the sounds of music from the bar. She groggily got up and walked slowly to the door to the bar.

She saw the hole in the wall boarded up and only Spike on the stage with a guitar in his hands, his fingers moving across the strings with ease, building up to the words. 

__

~ Special, you think your special you do, I can see it in your eyes I can see it when you laugh at me look down on me and, you walk around on me just one more fight about your leadership and I will straight up leave your shit cause I've had enough of this and now I'm pissed (yeah) 

This time I'm a let it all come out this time I'm a stand up and shout I'm a do things my way, it's my way, my way or the highway this time I'm a let it all come out this time I'm a stand up and shout I'm a do things my way, it's my way, my way or the highway just one more fight about a lotta things and I will give up everything to be on my own again.

Free again this time I'm a let it all come out this time I'm a stand up and shout I'm a do things my way, it's my way, my way or the highway this time I'm a let it all come out this time I'm a stand up and shout I'm a do things my way, it's my way, my way or the highway 

Someday you'll see things my way cause you never know, no ya never know when your gonna go Someday you'll see things my way cause you never know, no ya never know when your gonna go 

Just one more fight and I'll be history yes I will straight up leave your shit and you'll be the one who's left missing me (yeah) this time I'm a let it all come out this time I'm a stand up and shout I'm a do things my way, it's my way, my way or the highway this time I'm a let it all come out this time I'm a stand up and shout I'm a do things my way, it's my way, my way or the highway someday you'll see things my way cause you never know, when ya never know when your gonna go someday you'll see things my way cause you never know, when ya never know. 

-limpbizkit

My way or the Highway-

Buffy looked as she leaned on the doorframe, watching him as he finished the song. I didn't seem like his style though, too modern. "Not your usual style there Spike." She said. Spike looked up at her, oblivious to her presence in the room "Buffy…" he said, standing up and rushing to her "Are you alright?" he asked with great concern.

Buffy shook her head "No…" she said, sadness welling up within her heart "I lost Dawn again Spike, I'm supposed to protect her…" she said before she collapsed into tears into his arms. Spike wrapped his arms around her, holding her closely.

"That's enough Buffy." Spike said, sternly in his voice. Buffy backed off a little, still in his hold, looking up at him "What do you mean?" she asked.

Spike looked at her and gently held her face "It's got to stop, the rules of the slayer, now the immortals. It's always someone else's game you play, someone else's rules." He said tactfully.

Buffy nodded, he was right, its one of the things that always tore at her, always someone else's game she played "Your right, I've never been in control completely with my life." She said to him.

"Like the song said Buffy…." Spike began "It's your way or the highway now." 

Buffy looked up at him, smiled weakly, he was right. She brought her lips to his and kissed him, continuing what was interrupted earlier. He was right, now it was Buffy who had to change, force it if she had too, it was time for HER WAY.

End Part 5

Note: Ok, I'm SO sorry for the lateness of this fic, work has been killer for me lately, and I haven't had enough time to write! So until the summer work season comes to pass, the chapters will be a little longer apart, so please bear with me, I hate keeping you all hanging like this.


	6. Places on the board

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me except for Catherine Tyler

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me except for Catherine Tyler.

Note: Ok folks. My desktop computer was wiped clean by a hacker program in my e-mail, so I lost everything, but it's recoverable since I give everything to a friend. I'm using my portable computer for now until I can get my modem working and my writing program reinstalled. So, these might take as long as before. Please bear with me.

Strength and Honor Part 6

By: Marcus

Dawn woke up in a small room on a cot; the door in front of her was locked closed. She got up and ran to it, pounding her fists on the steel door "Let me out!" she screamed, she continued again and again to yell until she heard the lock being undone. 

She backed away a few steps as the door opened. In walked a man with blond hair, "Be quiet kid, and you'll be out of here without a scratch." She said to her angrily, his voice intertwined with hate and rage. Dawn gulped, biting down her fear, showing a tough look in fears place.

"Why did you kidnap me?" she asked him. The man paced to her a little, glaring at her angrily "You're our insurance, if your slayer friend Catherine doesn't comply with us, you're dead."

The Magic shop

Giles walked into the training room where he heard the sounds of grunts and curses, he walked in to see Catherine there training furiously, landing blow after blow on the punching bag that hung from the middle of the room. This reminded him of when Buffy would train when she was nervous, angry or on edge.

"Catherine? Are you alright?" he asked, walking up to her slowly with his hands in his pockets. Catherine didn't deviate from her exercise, she continued to punch and kick at the bag furiously. "No!" she growled as she punched the bags increasing soft spot "And do you want to know why Giles? Cause it's my fault, they were after me!" she said as she repeatedly kicked the bag with lightening speed, then back to the punches.

"They took Dawn! But they wanted me instead! They came here looking for me Damn it!" she said with her anger increasing to levels that Buffy never displayed, and it was making Giles uneasy, "Why? Cause I'm a Slayer Giles, A FUCKING SLAYER! And because of that, they just see me as an acquisition! Something they need! It's always about me being a slayer!" she said as her final kick sent the punching bag breaking from its chain and flying into the near by wall with a violent scream from Catherine "FUCK!" she cursed.

Giles put his hand on her shoulder softly, but she snapped it away, turning around to face him "I don't need your comfort, or anyone else's. I've lived this long without it. And I can live as long without it now!" she hissed at him before stomping out of the room.

Giles felt an almost audible snap in his mind, before he spun around and faced her "Don't you bloody DARE walk away from me like that!" he yelled out to her. Catherine stopped dead in her tracks as she was about to walk out the door, she turned to look at him, a look of shock on her face, she never had even the smallest of ideas that Giles could be like this.

Giles walked up to her quickly, and took hold of her "Don't you dare try and push me or any of us away! You think that because you've lived this long that you're above that? Bloody hell NO!" he said with a growl that rivaled Catherine's "Aside from you, no slayer has ever lived as long as Buffy, and that is because we were always there for her, even when she pushed us away, we refused to let her go. Because we all knew that death would be that result."

Catherine began to lower her head in shame of her words towards him as he continued, but at a more calmed tone once more "Catherine, don't push us away, we beg of you." Giles said. Catherine looked up at him "I'm sorry Giles…it's just that I've been on my own for almost as long as I can remember, and…those I did trust…betrayed me in a heartbeat." She said in a small voice, a whisper more like it.

Giles shook his head, removing his glasses "But surely you must know that you can trust us." He asked. Catherine nodded "Yeah, and look how I repaid that trust, because of me, Dawn was kidnapped." 

Giles motioned to the seat against the wall with his glasses in hand, the dim light gently reflecting off the lenses, Catherine walked slowly next to him, her head down, her intense anger no longer present and she still felt the shame of lashing out at Giles. 

They sat down, Catherine leaning forward a little, her hands and lower arms held together between her legs as she kept her head low. Giles took a seat next to her, placing his glasses on his face once more, looking at her with concern and curiosity all in one, wonder for what she's been through in the past. 

"Catherine, talk to me, tell me what you've gone through, your life." He asked, his voice almost whispering beyond Catherine range of hearing, she was so hurt from what she did, it's the worst kind you know. Hurting yourself. 

She turned to him, her face torn as she let those walls of iron and stone down around herself, like she wasn't worthy of his presence. After a brief, but torturous, moment of silence, she looked at him "Giles…look away for a moment, I want to show you something." She said, her voice loaded with a deep fear.

Giles looking deep into her eyes and complied without complaint, sliding where he sat away and spun around, with his back to her. For a few moments her heard clothing sliding against bare skin, a little bit of struggling, heavy breathing, fear induced, as well as nervousness and shyness. "Now turn around." She told him, her voice so low still, trembling clearly now like the rattling of air ducts.

Giles turned around back to where he was before, what he saw shocked him deeply as his eyes widened, and his breath nearly ceased. Catherine, with her bare back exposed to him, her arms folded around her front, covering her breasts, her hair flowing over her left shoulder, covering her face from him. The sight of her back was what shocked him; it was covered with deep scars.

Where there was once smooth, pale skin was now a view of scars ranging from the base of her neck to her lower back, around the middle, almost like a horrible work of art from a twisted mind. 

He brought his hand close to her back, not touching, but the gape was a mere inch away as his eyes continuously scanned her scarred flesh. "Good lord…Catherine, what happened to…" he began to ask with sadness and concern for what she must have endured, but Catherine began her explanation, cutting him off as though his word had never been spoken.

"Giles, have you ever done things that defy your own thoughts and reasoning? Have you ever endured something so terrible that you almost lost yourself in the dark side of the human spirit? I have. What you see is the result of…rape. Not from a man or human being by any standards, but a demon." She said, her voice becoming louder and stronger, but still so afraid as she kept her back to him.

"I was fifteen, and had only been slaying for barely a year, I was patrolling an area of New Orleans, a real shit hole if you ask me, and I heard a struggle. I ran to check it out, but I was too little to late, the young woman was already dead and shredded to bits." She said before taking a deep breath, with Giles still sitting closely behind her, listening with every bit of attention and mind that he had to offer her.

"I was foolish and head strong then Giles, I thought since I could do thing that no one else could that it would be easy, I hate myself for having ever thought that way." She said, her voice becoming sterile and loathing to herself, filled with disgust and pity. "He took me down in no time flat, and began to…" she said, about to explain the traumatic part, but Giles stopped her as he touched her scars.

"Don't go any further Catherine, you don't have too." He said, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into a warm and gentle embrace, and her breathing turned to sobs, tears flowed down her cheeks as she let go of everything.

What Catherine was coming to tell Giles was that what she truly fears at this time in her life is what could happen to Dawn, a child whom is the same age as Catherine was when this violation and abuse occurred to her. Catherine would now do anything, ANYTHING, to prevent that from occurring to the young teenager, by telling Giles this now, it showed her that if it needed be, Catherine would give her life to protect the young girl.

Elsewhere in Sunnydale

"Angel, don't tell me you never had this place cleaned since you last used it?" Host asked as he took one look around the old mansion where Angel had lived after his return from hell. There he was the Host, Loren, standing in the middle of a dirty room wearing nothing but designer clothes that cost quite a bit.

Angel shrugged as he looked around the place, "Well, it's not that bad." He said, defending himself from Host's attack on his ability for cleanliness. 

Cordellia walked up with Gunn and Wesley with her "Angel, there is a dust Bunny over there that's walking around on its own, trust him when he says this is a really nasty place at the moment." She said, backing up her green skinned friend.

"I don't know Queen C, I kind of like it, just needs a little work is all." Faith said, walking in with Quentin Travers next to her, shaking his head at her still virtuously rebellious attitude towards all things (almost all things.)

"We shall set up our area of operations here." Quentin said as a group of his people walked in, lugging equipment with them and books, texts on various subjects. As they all finished bringing in their things, on young man rushed in quickly towards Quentin and Faith, along with the others "Sir! We've just received word that these so-called watchers have made another move." He sad, quickly catching his breath.

Quentin rose his hand to him, "Calm down Jacob, what have they done?" he asked. The young man known as Jacob, about Wesley's height and blue eyes and dark hair, took a breath deeply "They attacked a night club where the new Slayer and Mr. Giles' people were attending, they attacked, tried to take Catherine Tyler by force once more. But it ended with them abducting Dawn Summers instead!" he said with the impeccable sound of urgency within his tone.

"Dear lord." Wesley whispered as everyone else in their current circle went quiet, eyes widened. "Do you know where they are?" Angel asked. But before any answer came, a foreign voice answered "Right here." It said. They all looked to see a commando styled man standing there, with his weapon trained at them. Before anyone could react, the room exploded with gunfire as numerous other enemies bursting through the windows.

"Take cover!" Quentin called out as everyone reached for a weapon and took the defensive.

Nearby, outside

"I'm telling you, it's gotten pretty quiet since Glory was whacked by you Buffy." Xander said as he, Spike and Buffy were patrolling through the graveyard. Buffy, even though she was different and undergoing a dramatic change in herself, still couldn't deny the need to perform the duties of a slayer.

"He's right luv, all's been quiet, just the random idiot vamp here and there." Spike said, amazingly agreeing to Xanders statements.

Their conversation was cut off by sounds of battle, gunfire, screams and shouts nearby. Buffy and the others stopped as she listened, closing her eyes, narrowing down the direction. Her eyes shot open, realizing where it was from "Angels mansion." She said.

"Come on then, what are we standing around here for?" Spike asked irritably. Buffy flashed him a smile as the three of them burst into a sprint towards the nearby mansion. "The watchers must have arrived today!" Xander said, remembering that Giles had said something about them arriving soon. "My guess is that those renegade blokes got the drop on them!" Spike said, brushing past trees, trying to keep up with Buffy.

"Xander, when we get there, try to see if you can get anyone who's injured out of there!" Buffy said to her friend, brother being more descriptive of their relationship.

Angels Mansion

"We're pinned down! We need to get on their flank!" Jacob said, fear in his voice as he ducked down next to Cordellia and Gunn. Angel, Winifred and Wesley were pinned down behind a wall about ten feet away from them, Quentin and Host were elsewhere, Jacob couldn't see them, he only knew that they were alive due to Quinine's words into their communication headset.

"Jacob! Shoot out the lights, give us some better cover!" he heard in his ear. Jacob looked over the edge of the table, seeing the only source eof light in the room. He took aim, and fired.

The bullet flew through the air, cutting it as it took its target with unyielding vengeance, shattering the light, glass falling to the floor in shards, like a deadly rain shower. The light in the room vanished considerably; leaving everything in shadows, still, enemy fire ripped through the air, hitting down near them all.

Before they could even plan a strategy to take the offensive, the battle changed curiously. "Wait, you guys doing anything?" Gunn asked, listening to the change in their aggressor's attack, Jacob looked to him and Cordellia "No." he said.

"Listen." Cordellia said, noticing the change that Gunn had noticed, the fight was elsewhere now, yelling, sounds of metal clashing.

"Hey all." Xander said as he leapt over the table and landed in front of them. "Xander!" Cordellia said in surprise and joy to see her friend (and former beau) before her as she hugged him tightly, she pushed him away and looked at him "What's going on? What are you doing here?" she asked him urgently, the look of concern in her eyes and sound in her voice.

Xander hesitated for an instant before answering her "Uh, we'll discuss that later, but right now lets get the hell out of the line of fire!" he said, yanking at her, with Jacob and Gunn following closely behind them. 

They reached Angel behind the wall along with Winifred and Wesley. "Xander?" Angel asked, surprised to see the last person he'd expect in this kind of situation. Xander nodded "I'll explain it all later." 

Angel looked around the corner to see the fight, his eyes could see as well in the dark as people could in the dark, what he saw intrigued him.

A woman, raven black hair, with an Egyptian styled sword, fighting all of the renegades, he watched as their weapons fired and a few hit her, but she seemed to keep coming, unfazed by the attacks. Watching as she flipped through the air, striking her blows with devastation to her opponents.

There was someone else out there, near her, a long coat, he couldn't make him out with the renegades all around him, but he recognized the voice as the unknown warrior struck at one of them "Bloody hell!" 

"Spike?" Angel said, sounding amazed to see his former progeny and enemy fighting to help save them all. He saw Spike double over, clutching his head in pain as the three remaining renegades around him took their aim at his body. "No!" Angel yelled as he ran out there, leaping through the air with demonic strength as his fists found their desired target, colliding with the heads of the would-be slayers.

The third tried to shoot Angel, but with a jammed gun it was rather difficult, before Angel could move against him, Spikes fist rushed up rapidly, knocking out the attacker, and setting off his implant once more "Argh!" he yelled, grabbing his head again. Angel caught Spike, as he was about to fall over again from the pain.

Angel dragged everyone watched as a barely conscious Spike back to them. "What's he doing here?" Wesley asked, still remember who Spike used to be. "He's here to help." Xander said, looking down at Spike "More or less." He added.

"Who is that out there?" Gunn asked, noticing the woman finally. "Forget that for the moment, Where the hell is Faith?" Cordellia asked, noticing that through all this commotion, she was no where to be found. "There!" Jacob said, pointing to someone on the floor, wrestling with one of the renegades. But they became pinned down again as gunfire came at them once more.

They watched as Faith lost the better hand and became pinned underneath the large individual as he pulled out a knife from his ankle. "No!" Wesley yelled as he ran out to help her, through the raining bullets and flying bits of rock and pieces of the wall.

HE tackled the man just in time, rolling him off of Faith. Holding the mans wrist, trying to keep the knife from him now, Wesley struggled with all of his strength, but was fighting a losing battle as it inched closer and closer to his throat. "Hey!" they heard the renegade looked up in time to have Faiths fist violently collides with his now broken jaw. Faith ripped the knife from his hand, jumping on top of him she brought it up, the look in her eye was of blood.

Just as she was about to bring it down, the look of blood lust faded, realizing what she was about to do, she snarled at him, striking him once more, knocking him out. She scurried off of him and to Wesley. He threw her down and covered her with his body as more rains of bullets found their way near them. He looked up to be struck by another renegade.

Faith saw, as Wesley was now unconscious next to her, she looked up to the renegade who pointed his 9mm at her forehead "Say goodnight sweetie." He said, about to pull on the trigger. Just as the gun would have fired, Faith heard a blood curling scream that drew both their attentions, another woman had joined the battle, leaping over Faith, and over the renegades head she twisted around. Grabbing his collar from behind she let her foot push down on his back as she put all of her weight to go down backwards.

The man was helpless as he fell back with her holding him up as she rolled with it. The momentum of the maneuver sent him flying through the air as she let go, rolling like a tire more than ten feet away, he crashed through a wall in a very painful looking manner.

Faith looked up to this woman, her long black hair, tight form, strong. But it was only a glimpse as the woman grabbed Wesley and Faith and dragged them to cover where Cordellia, Gunn and Jacob had been awhile ago. The woman dumped Wesley next to them as she still held onto Faith, her arm going under Faiths arm and coming up to her other shoulder, across her breasts. One of her legs was mingles with Faiths, trying to keep her covered from whatever would come their way.

Faith found this to be…anything but uncomfortable. She looked over her shoulder to be barely an inch away from the woman's face. Feeling her chest rise and drop against her back, feeling the heat radiating from her. Faith put this out of her head and began with the questions "Thank you! But who are you?" she asked. The dark hared woman smiled at her "I'm Catherine Tyler, the slayer." She said.

Faith took gentle hold of Catherine's arm that was gripped across her chest, touching the mildly sweaty skin "Thank you." She said again. Feeling afraid, she almost died right there, not even having a chance to make up for any of the wrongs she had done, and the fear was showing in her eyes.

Catherine gently smiled at her, wrapping her other arm around Faiths waist, comforting her, keeping her safe now.

Buffy sent the hilt of her sword into the head of yet another renegade, she was doing quite well, most of them were out for the count now, but she still couldn't find a trace of the leader. She felt the blow of wind against her back, a strong gust of it in fact. Before the next renegade could attack her, they were all blow off balance by a powerful gust of wind, the door flew open to show Willow standing there, holding Tara's hand tightly "Back…off." Willow said, her eyes black, frightening.

The renegades rose to their feet, not listening to the order that the Wiccan had given them. Both Tara and Willow narrowed their eyes, as their minds flew out to them, casting their will upon them, they all went flying in all directions, as though an explosive had gone off right in the middle of them.

They still stood up, aiming their weapons at them, following their orders through their headsets most likely. "Pain." Tara whispered. Bolts of energy rushed out of her fingers, striking them all, like a firestorm the room was illuminated, casting light into every dark corner. 

Finally, they ceased, dropping to the ground, no energy left within them they passed out. Buffy stood up and rushed to them "Thanks guys, but what are you two and Catherine doing here?" she asked. Willow released Taras had a little reluctantly "Catherine was staying here before she came to stay with us, she wanted to come and get a few things she left behind, good thing we decided to come along." Willow said, sounding back to her perky and cheerful self.

Buffy turned to Tara "I see you came up a level, that was good." She said, Tara nodded, looking tired somewhat "Thanks Buffy, but I'm feeling a little tired now." she said, touching her forehead with her fingertips. Buffy looked to see Angel and the others coming out of their protective areas, her eyes widened as she saw him "Angel." She whispered.

"Go, we'll take care of this." Willow said to her, Buffy looked back to Angel and the others and back to Willow and Tara "Ok, I'll meet you back at Giles' place ok? See if you can find out where Dawn is from one of them." She said, touching them both gently on the shoulder before she vanished out the door.

"Is everyone alright?" Quentin asked as he and Loren appeared from their place of protection. Angel and everyone else emerged from their hiding places "Yeah, more or less." Gunn said. "Who was that who saved us?" Winifred asked, retaining to Buffy. Willow and Tara walked towards them "That's…a friend." Willow said. It wasn't their place to tell them the truth of Buffy's immortality, not in the least.

"Ok, so who's that who saved Faith and Wesley then?" Cordellia asked, motioning her hand gracefully to Faith and Catherine who were helping a semi-conscious Wesley. Xander interjected, smiling sheepishly at them as he pointed at Catherine "That would be Catherine Tyler, the slayer." He said.

Quentin walked towards her first, his hand outstretched towards her "Miss Tyler, I am Quentin Travers, head of the watchers Slayer division, pleased to finally meet you." He said with the sounds of pleasantness. Catherine stared at his hand for a moment, remembering her talk with Giles awhile ago. Looking into the mans eyes she smiled gently, taking his hand with hers "Good to meet you at last."

Powers that Be Bar

"Buffy, what happened?" Amanda asked as Buffy walked into the bar, her clothes were torn in a few places, a few scrapes of blood where her wounds had already healed. She looked at Amanda with sad eyes "You remember when I was telling you my life story, I told you about Angel?" she asked, walking up past Amanda, and behind the bar, noticing the short, quick work of covering the hole in the wall that had already begun repair.

Amanda sat opposite of Buffy at the bar, looking at the young woman "Yes I do, who could forget such a sad love story?" she asked. Buffy opened a bottle of beer and drank from it, she waited a moment, letting the cold tasting fluid wash into her mouth before bringing it down from her lips, looking at Amanda "He's here, in Sunnydale." She said, looking down at the surface of the bar.

Amanda looked at her still, seeming unfazed by this "Did you talk to him?" she asked. Buffy shook her head as she walked back around the bar, taking a sip of her beer and sitting next to Amanda "No, just saved him and the slayer watchers from those renegades, even Faith was there too." She said.

Amanda shrugged and looked at Buffy expectantly "So? Aren't you going to talk to them? Like you did with your other friends? What's holding you back?" she asked, frustrated. Buffy smirked as she took another gulp from her now warming beer. "It's easier for him if he thinks I'm dead, I saw a woman with him, close to him. The way they spoke, touched, looked at each other, I could tell that he's…" she was saying, but was cut off from the all to familiar voice at the door.

"In love?" Angel asked "That is what you were going to say right? That I've fallen in love with another woman? Well…yeah, I have." He said, walking towards her. Buffy put her drink down as she stared at him without yield "Angel." She said, almost whispering.

Angel smiled at her, she knew this smile, it was the one where he was about to do something along the lines of being crazy almost, "Yeah, that's me. But you, I just have to wonder about you. It was your scent I picked up at my mansion just awhile ago." He said, with almost an insatiable glee.

Buffy gulped, he was playing with her, trying to use up whatever patience she had and burn it up "So, you were in trouble, I was there to help." She said, hiding her fear and apprehension quite well. Angel stopped pacing in front of her and stood tall, hands at his sides, staring at her with such sadness in his eyes. "You're alive." He said, and then he turned around and walked away from her.

Buffy stood there, hands at her chest, feeling her heart bleed, "A-Angel…" she whispered out, trying to raise her voice, but it was too late, as all that was left of him in the room was the tail of his coat floating out the door. 

Buffy turned around where she was, looked at Amanda for an instant, then slowly walked away to the back room, tears welling up in her eyes, feeling all that love that was now the past. Amanda stood up and rushed after her "Buffy." She began. Buffy stopped in her tracks, remaining very still, the dim lights making her almost a shadow in the room.

"Go to him, talk." Amanda said "Before its too late to." She added, sounding from experience. Buffy turned around, tears streaming down her cheeks "I can't, not until I have my sister back, I can't deal with anything else until then." She said, turning around and walking away again, walking up the stairs to her loft.

The Graveyard

"So, where'd you learn to fight like that?" Faith asked Catherine as they strode past headstones in the dark of night, the light of the moon reflecting softly off their skin. Catherine smiled gently, looking at Faith hesitantly "I taught myself how to, that's the only way I could growing up the way I did, alone."

Faith nodded "Yeah, tell me about it." She said, walking next to the other slayer whom had saved her life not even an hour ago. Catherine looked over to Faith "You grew up alone too?" she asked, finally finding someone with whom could understand her past. Faith nodded "I ran away, my parents…weren't too parent like." She said.

Catherine got the idea when Faith said it the way she did, abuse, god only knows what kind, but she wouldn't go further on that subject for now. "I guess we both come from the same side of the tracks then, mine died, and my childhood was filled with…traumatic events." She said, being discreet herself.

Faith stopped and looked at Catherine, looking into the black of her eyes, looking for something, as if trying to see into her soul "At least you never killed anyone before, a regular human I mean." She said, remembering the turn she took into her dark side, remembering the blood she had spilt, and almost again earlier, with that renegade.

Catherine remembered the instant where Faith had that knife in her hands, "I kind of got that idea from you." She said. Faith shook her head hesitantly and stopped, looking at Catherine whom stood before her, hands in her pockets "How would you know what I did?" she asked. Catherine shrugged, tilting her head to the side like a curious raven almost "Earlier, you were ready to kill that guy, I could see it in your eyes, the look on your face." 

Faith looked away, shamed by the act she had nearly committed for a second time, "For an instant, all I wanted was his blood on the ground, for taking Dawn." She said. Catherine looked at her, seeing the shape of her body, the shine of the moons light in her hair, her strength, and her weakness that she was allowing herself to show right before her. 

She inched closer to her, placing her hands on either shoulder gently "But you didn't, you fought that urge, that lust for that dark pit of your soul, that part we all have." She said, commending her for her strength.

Faith closed her eyes as she felt Catherine's touch against her body, again it didn't bring her discomfort, no odd feeling towards it, it even felt good, right too in some way she didn't understand yet. "Thank you." She whispered.

Catherine felt good, touching Faith, feeling her blood course through her veins, feeling the heat radiate off her body like a shining light from a candle. She shook her head, lost in thought she brought her hands back to her sides and in her pockets "Uh, sorry, lets keep going for a bit and get home huh?" she asked, moving away from Faith.

Faith shot back to reality, looking around to Catherine "Uh, yeah, let's do that."

Giles' Pad

"She's alive Giles, why wasn't I told, why weren't we told?" Angel asked as he paced around the room furiously, torn up by this deception. Giles sat in his chair, all of Angels group were there too, still absorbing this information that was thrust upon their unprepared minds.

"Angel, you have to understand, this wasn't voluntary, she had no choice in the matter, she only arrived two weeks ago back in Sunnydale, and revealed herself to us only a few nights ago, she was working up to calling you, but with Dawns kidnapping and all…" he said, defending his 'daughter'.

Angel jerked violently, Winifred stood up and took gentle hold of him "Calm down, she had her reasons Angel, don't be angry, please?" she asked, gently stroking his cheek. Angel took a breath and closed his eyes for a moment, regaining his calm. Opening them again he saw Winifred, looking at him with concern.

He smiled sheepishly, taking hold of her hand "Ok." He whispered to her.

"Ok, what about Dawn, how do we help her?" Wesley asked, sitting next to Giles, with an icepack on the bump on his head. Giles took in a breath "Currently, the watchers are interrogating these renegades for answers, shouldn't take too long knowing some of their…methods." He said, leading on that the so-called methods were a little more than what he led them to be.

"Ok, so, what do we do until then?" Cordellia asked, having no clue as what she or they should do until one of the renegades spilled the beans on Dawns location.

Giles stood up and yawned "Well, I am going to sleep, wish me luck." He said, walking up the stairs "Oh, feel free to stay if you like, help yourself to what's in the fridge." He added before vanishing to the upstairs rooms.

Gunn looked at the others after Giles had gone "And here I thought there couldn't be more than one Wesley." He said sarcastically. Wesley snapped his head at Gunn "I resent that remark." He said, sounding sleepy himself "Where did Faith go off to anyway?" he asked. 

"Oh, she went off somewhere with that Catherine girl, and might I say, damn she's fine!" Gunn said, unable to keep the hormones at bay. Just then Giles appeared from the top of the stairs "Just so you know Mr. Gunn, she plays for her own team." He said, indicating Catherine's homosexuality before he vanished again.

Cordellia snickered as she saw the look on Gunns face, as did the others in the room. "Where did all the normal people go?" he asked sarcastically, waving his arms up in the air. Cordellia playfully punched him in the gut "Hey! She's normal, even if she does play for my team." She said, smiling wickedly. Gunn shrugged as he stood up "Oh well, I can work with it." He said jokingly.

Host walked in from the kitchen with whatever he could find for a drink "Ah, that's why your going to end up being very old and still very, very horny." He said, taking his seat next to Cordellia. Gunn shook his head with a smile and walked to the back of the room where there was a spare sofa for him to rest on "Whatever." He mumbled as he dropped down on the sofa comfortably.

"Actually, I think that Faith is going to be working it." Winifred said, trying to add in a joke. But instead they all stared at her in surprise, even Angel. She looked at them all nervously "What? Didn't you see how they were looking at each other before they left?" she asked, trying to defend against whatever it was they were staring at her for.

Willow and Taras place

"I should leave, I don't…" Faith began, trying to avoid going into a place where she thought she wouldn't be welcome. But Catherine cut her off, raising her hand "It's ok, Willow and Tara told me that they'd be staying over at Xanders place tonight, try and think of a way to find Dawn."

"W-Well, why don't we go help them then?" Faith asked, nervous, beginning to feel uncomfortable about taking Catherine's offer to stay the night. It was new to her, in her past, she had slept and been promiscuous with many men, but never a woman, but now it felt different than all those people, with Catherine there was hesitation, nervousness, the whole enchilada, even though she wasn't even planning on making any sort of move on her.

"Will you come in? You look burnt." Catherine said, opening the door to an empty home. Faith gave a sigh as she gave up and walked in, closing the door behind her. 

"Look, I'll take the sofa, you can take the bed alright?" Catherine said, giving Faith the more comfortable place to sleep. Faith looked at the bed, Willow and Taras bed, and shuddered inside, remembering the time when she and Buffy swapped bodies, how she insulted Tara, insulted their relationship, she felt like shed be insulting it again by taking the bed where they slept, shared intimacy. "N-no, I'll take the sofa, you take the bed." She said hesitantly.

Catherine half winked an eye at her, wondering why she was so nervous "Are you ok here? Why are you so nervous?" she asked. Faith walked over to Catherine, and sat on the sofa, Catherine sitting next to her, listening to her words she was about to speak. "There was a time, before I came back from my dark side, I insulted their relationship, I mean I really slandered it. And I haven't talked to them since then really."

Catherine lowered her head, looking at Faith from the corner of her eye "You were a different person then, I'm sure in time they'll forgive it." She said, looking back at her. 

Faith shook her head "I don't think I can forgive myself for the things I did." She said, berating herself, still loathing herself in that way, the way Buffy found out before Faith ran to Los Angeles, where she ultimately turned herself in to the authorities.

Catherine reached over, brushed some hair over the back of Faiths shoulder "Give yourself time, you'll learn to forgive yourself, ok?" Catherine asked, trying to help Faith with her still ongoing transition.

Faith smiled sheepishly at Catherine "Ok." She said, leaning back on the sofa, her legs still bent over the edge of the sofa, stretching her arm back under her head, taking a sigh of relief, she did feel better now. 

"We'll sleep on each end of the sofa then, I really don't feel like taking the bed either." Catherine said, shedding her coat, and shoes. Faith opened her eyes a little to see what she was doing as she too shed her jacket, shoes and shirt, leaving a sports bra on and pants. She took her half of the blanket that was folded on the back of the sofa and unfolded it.

Her eyes nearly popped out as she saw Catherine stripping further, shedding her pants also, against her wishes, she let out a gasp, as she tried to hide it, it was useless as Catherine turned to her, wearing a shirt and underwear "What?" she asked, she saw Faith pointing at her nervously. Catherine looked down at herself "Oh, sorry, I'm not uncomfortable, you can too, I won't peek." She said, smirking at her as she took her half of the blanket and lay down on the inner end of the sofa next to Faith.

Faith saw as Catherine turn on her side away from her for her benefit, Faith slowly stood up and shed her pants also, leaving herself in her underwear only, she peeked over at Catherine who was still laying next to her, still and breathing slowly.

As she lay there, after awhile the discomfort of it all faded, feeling Catherine's legs along her back as she felt Catherine's back wit her feet. She kept her eyes closed, feeling more and more relaxed. Until she felt the sofa shift, she peeked her eyes open to see Catherine sitting up slowly, shedding her shirt, revealing her nude form from the waist up, the light from outside shone on her breasts, and along her back.

Her back, Faith's eyes widened as she saw the scars on her back, deep scars. From her lower back to her shoulders. "How did that happen?" Faith asked, sitting up and startling Catherine. To Faiths surprise, Catherine rolled on her back to cover her back, and folded her arms, covering her breasts from her view.

Faith backed off, "I'm sorry, I felt you moving. Your back…what…" she asked, but trailed off as she reached out, feeling the end of one of the scars along the ribs of Catherine's body. Catherine closed her eyes slightly and shuddered at the touch, she hadn't let anyone touch her in so long, the feeling was so foreign to her now. "It was a long time ago, I was…raped. I was young and cocky, I underestimated that demon…and I paid for it." 

Faith took in a deep breath, "Looks like we've both had bad times with the male, I used them, I was rather…I was a slut, I'll come out and say it, I was a fucking slut. I'd sleep with any guy cause it'd give me a roof over my head sometimes." She said, admitting to another dark aspect of her past. Catherine looked at her, eyes half open "And now?" she asked calmly.

Faith took a breath, looking around, at Catherine mainly "Now…I don't really care for guys." She said. Catherine blinked slowly, keeping a respective and charming calm to herself "Neither did I after that. And my first time with a woman after that wasn't so great either." She said, coming closer to Faith on a personal level.

Faith looked at her, tilting her head to the side "Turn over." She whispered to her. Catherine looked at her curiously and reluctantly, her scars were one of the things she kept private the most of all. "Come on, I wont hurt you." Faith said, whispering as her head inched closer to Catherine's, gently tugging at her shoulder.

Catherine did as Faith had politely requested, unfolding her arms she turned over to her stomach, folding them and resting her head on them. She felt fingers gently caressing her back, tracing the scars with gentle touch. Massaging her muscles, running her hands along the length of her back, over the skin as she felt Faith take a seat on top of her carefully.

She gasped deeply, drawing breath as she soon felt lips kissing her neck, moving down her back to the small of her back, feeling her Faiths fingers run along her sides, from her breasts to her hips, still being so gentle with her. 

Soon she felt the pressure of Faiths body on hers, arms wrapping around her chest and waist, kisses along the nape of her neck that was free of her long hair. 

And then, came Faiths whispers "In all the time I slept with a man, none of them ever touched me like I touch you now. None of them ever caressed me, gently touched me. All they ever did was fuck me, not caring for who I was, they didn't want me, just my body. I don't think either of us ever felt that, the gentleness of a touch. But right now, I want you Catherine." Faith whispered into her ear.

Catherine felt a tear fall from her eye, creeping down her cheek slowly. "No, we haven't." she whispered back. Turning over, Faith gently fell over next to Catherine as she came face to face with her, and looked into her eyes, seeing what was really there, someone who cared about her.

Catherine slowly brought her lips to Faiths, letting them touch barely at first, but with each kiss it grew more intense, deeper than the last. Faiths hand gently made their way from Catherine's hips to her breasts, cupping them softly, gently running her fingers along the outlines of them. Catherine touched Faith as well in the same place, feeling through the fabric of her bra as she caressed them gently, caring, as though they were fragile antiquities.

They paid no attention to the rain that had started outside the window, the sounds of droplets hitting the glass in a smooth, comforting rhythm, the lighting gently flashing in for an instant, and the rumbling of thunder. It seemed to make it all feel the more better for them as they continued onwards into the night.

Buffys Loft

"How you feeling luv?" Spike asked as he help Buffy by the window, her head resting back on his chest as they looked out through the rain covered window. "I don't know." She answered back to him.

"I'm feeling…nervous, scared. Wondering if Dawn's alright." She said. Spike tightened his hold on her, "It's alright, I be the little cupcake is just fine." He said, trying to calm her emotions. 

Renegade headquarters

Dawn struggled with the cuffs around her wrists, bounding her hands together. "Let me out!" she yelled, slamming both her fists on the metal door, dropping to the ground.

She looked at the side of her hand to see a deep cut shed her blood, she shook her head "It's all my fault, this would have never begun if it wasn't for my blood." She said, hating herself for her existence. Her train of thought was diminished when she heard sounds of fighting on the other side of the door, she jumped on the small bed and huddled into the corner.

She pressed herself against the wall harder as she heard the door unlocking and the latch holding it closed move away, letting it open.

In walked two men, holding swords, both had short hair, only one had his in a more shaggy fashion where as the other on had in more neat and proper. "W-Who are you?" Dawn asked them, looking at their plain clothes and their swords, one was thin and simple looking, with the head of a dragon at the hilt, the other was a broad sword, thick and stronger looking.

"My name's Methos, this is Duncan MacLeod, we're friends of your sister, we came to get you out of here." One said, the one with the broad sword, Methos. Dawn leapt off the bed, rushing up to them "How did you find me?" she asked, as Duncan took her hands and began picking the locks on her cuffs "These renegades attacked some of your friends, Angel was his name, we followed those who escaped back here." Duncan said.

Before anything else could be said, the door slammed shut and locked behind them, they all looked at it, and heard someone speak through it "Now we have triple the price, thanks!" the man said, walking away as he laughed. Duncan took the cuffs and threw them to the ground in a fit "Damn it!" he hissed. 

Dawn lowered her head and shook "Thanks for trying anyway." She said, throwing her fist at the air, letting a few drops of her blood fly into the wall "I wish I were with Buffy!" she yelled, saying it with all her heart and convictions. Duncan and Methos watched as the blood on the wall began to glow a bright, brilliant green "What the…?" Duncan asked as the light grew larger and larger until it covered the entire wall.

The light faded and vanished except for the borders of this doorway that opened, beyond it they saw Buffy and Spike, in each others arms looking back at them. "Buffy!" Dawn cried as she saw her sister get up and walk towards her end of the door way in a hurry "Dawn! Duncan, Methos!" she cried out to them. 

Without thinking, Dawn ran to the portal, or doorway, whatever one would call it, and leapt through. Duncan and Methos saw no other reasonable act so they followed right behind Dawn.

Buffy stretched her arms out as Dawn flew into her, holding her tightly as they collided into Spike whom kept them from hitting the floor hard. "Dawn! How?" Buffy asked, still speechless over how this portal had opened and delivered her sister and two friends back to her.

"We're just as curious as you are Buffy…" Duncan began as they watched the portal close behind them and vanish with a ripple in the air like a rock dropping into the water. Spike walked up next to Buffy and Dawn in each others arms.

__

The Powers that Be Bar – A few hours earlier

"I don't really see what you really want with someone like me working for you." Methos said as he sat at a table with one of the head watchers, Ethan. "Mr. Pierson, what we're suggesting to you is a very valuable opportunity for all of us, someone to be a living witness to the slayers to come, mainly to Buffy who will hopefully go on for years as a slayer or whatever else she desires to be, we're asking you to be one of our watchers." He said, explaining the whole idea to Methos once more.

Methos sat back in his seat, arms crossed as he looked blankly at the table and Ethan who sat before him, it was a unique opportunity, that was for sure, but to have Buffy continue with something that she didn't truly want for what could be eternity? That was something for her to decide.

"I'll do it, but only if Buffy wishes for it." He said to Ethan. Ethan nodded with a grin as he clapped his hands "Thank you Mr. Pearson, you won't be disappointed!" he said as he got up and left the bar in a hurry back to the mansion.

Methos sat there at the table after he left, thinking about his answer, 'YES'. He began to wonder if it was the right answer to give Ethan, Sure, Methos cared for the young blonde immortal very much, as close as he would for Duncan or Amanda, but this was a different situation than they were, they weren't slayers, or destined to possibly do what she does now. 

He got up off the table seat and walked over to the bar, disposing of his empty glass he leaned forward of the bar, thinking. The hole in the wall was all fixed up now, leaving no trace of it ever being there. "God forgive me Buffy if I've made the wrong choice.

The door suddenly flew open and Duncan was there looking at him "Methos, I need your help, we're getting Dawn back." He said. Methos nodded as he knew that Duncan had a plan of action, being a former watcher to immortals, he knew Duncan quite well.

__

Buffy's home – Now

"So that was your brilliant plan of action then huh? Kick the crap out of everyone and grab Dawn?" Methos asked as he paced around the room with Buffy holding Dawn tightly and Spike next to them. Duncan shook his head as he turned around to Methos, falling into the trap of continuing this immature banter with him "Ok Methos, it didn't go exactly to plan, but we got out didn't we?" he asked irritated from Methos' complaints.

Buffy didn't pay attention to their argument as she looked at Dawn with a glowing smile on her face "Can you tell me what happened?" she asked, gently running a hand across her cheek. Dawn shrugged as she smiled back at Buffy "I don't know, I cut my hand, some blood got on the wall and I yelled out how much I wanted to be with you and then that happened, my blood opened up like a door." She said, giving the best explanation she could.

Spike patted Dawn on the shoulder as he kneeled next to them "Must be the fact that you're the Key, that energy must be coming out in some ways now." he said, being the next best thing to an expert on the supernatural. "Shouldn't we go tell the others? I mean, we know where they are now, we can catch them all right?" Dawn asked, referring to ending this situation with the renegades.

"Yeah, sounds good." Spike said, looking at Buffy with a nod they got up and got ready to break up Duncan and Methos who now had their swords pulled out and throwing immature insults at each other "My swords bigger than yours!" Methos said like a four year old brat. Duncan chuckled as he shook his head "Oh ho ho! Now you're going down you wuss!" he said as he was about to rush at Methos like a brat himself.

"Enough you two!" Buffy yelled as she ran up to them, tripping Methos and kicking Duncan in the chest quickly that sent him to the ground as well "Will you two grow the hell up? You, Duncan, you're over 400 years old! And Methos, your 5000 years old for crying out loud, don't you know what a grown up is?" she asked, yelling at them both angrily "Besides, I just got this place, I don't want blood stains so soon." 

Duncan and Methos both stared at her and soon burst out into laughs, rolling around like children still "You have no idea how much you sound like Mother Goose just now!" Methos said as he got up, helping Duncan up also. Buffy's eyes widened as she snarled at them "Mother Goose? Did you just call me that?" she asked as they both stopped acting like children and suddenly became very still.

"Oh that's it!" she yelled as she pulled out her sword and began to chase them around the room, yelling obscenities at them as they threw whatever they could to stop her.

Spike and Dawn stood away back looking at them silently "You think we ought to stop this?" Spike asked curiously, a little amused by this. Dawn shook her head as she looked up at him "What, and miss this Kodak moment?"

Willow and Taras home

"Whoa." Faith said as she lay on top of Catherine, sweat matting her hair down as their skin was slick against each other. Faith rose her head up and smiled genuinely at Catherine as she moved in and kissed her passionately "I never thought it would be that good." Faith said, resting her head back down on Catherines chest, her arms wrapped around her.

"Neither did I." Catherine said as she gently stroked Faiths hair in a soothing pattern that made Faith feel more and more comfortable with each stroke.

"What do are you thinking about?" Faith asked curiously, wanting to know Catherine more than just on a sexual level (which was a surprising revelation to her.) Catherine Smiled softly as she closed and opened her eyes slowly "I don't know really, I guess about everything in a sense, life, dying mostly." She said, sounding a little off over the question. 

Faith shifted and rested her head so that she looked up to Catherine from her chest and looked at her with full attention "Do tell." She asked, listening readily. Catherine smiled at her with a wink as she took in a deep breath "Ok, I'll ask you first, what do you believe in?" she asked "I mean like religion or something like that." 

Faith looked away, staring blankly for a bit as she thought about it, she hadn't realized that she never really believed in anything before "Nothing." She whispered to Catherine. 

Catherine continued to stroke Faiths hair as she looked at her silently "I believe in an old religion, I don't know what it is really, but it has to do with death…" she began as Faith listened to her intently to every word, "…A black bird, a crow, comes for you on the day you die, carries you to the land of the dead. All your life it follows you, becomes an unknowing part of you, sees all that you are and decides whether or not if you're worthy of being brought to the land of the dead." She said.

Faith sat up and looked at her with an almost worried expression "Why would you believe in something like that?" she asked. Catherine sat up also, being eye level with her "Because on the day I die, I want to know if I did the right things in my life, no matter how lost I feel, I want to know if my choices were the right ones." She said seriously with compassion in her voice. 

Faith gently touched Catherine's face, touching the beads of sweat on her naked body "This wouldn't be like on that movie the Crow now would it?" she asked jokingly. Catherine smiled as she took hold of Faiths hand and held it by her heart "Believe it or not, the show was based from that religion, some do say that if one dies from such a horrible wrong in their life, they sometimes are given that chance to come back and make it right, or never rest in the land of the dead at all."

Faith took her fre hand and took a gentle hold of Catherine head from the neck and slow brought her lips to hers, passionately kissing her gently, letting their tongue dance in each others mouths for what seemed like forever, a perfect moment. When it ended. Faith held Catherine close to her, pressing their bodies together tightly as she looked slightly down at her, their breasts pressed together, Faiths legs on either side of Catherine's hips "For what it's worth, you're judgment will be better than mine will." She said softly.

"You'll pass judgment Faith, keep doing the right things in life and you'll be fine." Catherine said as she brushed a few stray strands of hair from Faiths face "Are you gong to kiss me again or what?" Catherine asked with a smile as she pressed herself harder against Faith and kissed once more.

The kiss ended with the phone as it suddenly burst into a shrewd ringing sound, ending the moment. Faith got off of Catherine and covered her breasts with the blanket as Catherine got off the sofa and walked over to the phone in the nude, which made Faith eye her intensely.

"Hello?" Catherine said as she picked up the phone quickly on its fourth ring.

"Catherine? It's Tara, we're all at the magic shop, Dawns back, it's a long story, but you should get over here. By the way, have you seen Faith?" Tara asked as she sounded a little excited over the line.

Catherine looked back to Faith and smirked wickedly "Yeah, Faith's with me, we'll be there as soon as we can ok? Alright Tara, bye." Catherine said as she hung up the phone.

Catherine walked back over ot Faith and sat on the sofa next to her "We have to get to the Magic Shop, Dawn's come back, I don't know the details, but everyone's there waiting for us." She said. Faith nodded "Ok, should we shower first?" she asked, still feeling a little turned on by seeing Catherine walk nude. Catherine smiled as she shook her head "Is sex all you think about?" she asked as she grabbed her clothes and threw them on quickly.

Faith shrugged "Hey, it's good exercise, and I love to work out a lot." She joked, "What should we tell the others though? About us? Are we just having sex…or is it more?" she asked, scared of the answer almost. Catherine looked at her and smiled "I'd like to tell them is more, how about you?" she asked.

Faith only kept silent as she moved in and kissed Catherine, giving her an answer. When it ended she looked at her with wide eyes "I like that idea, but after this is all over ok?" Faith said, asking for a discreet relationship for a little bit.

Catherine nodded "That's a good idea."

__

The Magic Shop

Catherine and Faith walked into the shop to see everyone they're waiting for them, some watchers, the immortals, and the Scooby gang along with Angel's group. "So, what's up?" Faith said as she saw Dawn for the first time since her return OT the hellmouth.

"Faith!" Dawn said as she rushed up to her and gave her a warm, tight hug, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Dawn, I'm glad you're alright." She said, smiling as she hugged Dawn back.

"So, what are we gonna do about these renegades?" Wesley asked as he decided to address the issue of the renegades and their presence in Sunnydale.

Duncan stepped up "Well, Methos and I found where they are, and I'm betting that they don't know we're out of there yet, or will find out soon enough." He said, hearing Methos mumble a remark in the back ground "Yeah, your brilliant idea." He said, causeing Duncan to look in his direction.

"I have to handle this…alone." Buffy said suddenly, loud enough for them to hear her. Everything went silent as they all stared at her, shock and confusion. "Buffy, it's suicide!" Duncan warned, But she just rose her hand "I have to, this started over a slayer, they wanted one…Well, I'm going to give them one."

End Part 6


	7. Battles and Aftershocks

Strength and Honor Part 7

Disclaimer: None of them except for Catherine Tyler belong to me.

Note: please read and review. J 

Distribution: Ask me first please, thank you.

****

Strength and Honor 

Part 7

By: Marcus

The old warehouse looked like a place of death in the light of the evening sun, Buffy walked slowly towards it, her sword tucked under her coat, her hair tied back neatly. Her eyes glared at the place, anger, and fear, afraid that she would fail and her friends and family would never be rid of this enemy.

"Buffy! Wait!" she heard behind her, she knew who it was just by the sound of his voice "Go back Spike." She said, stopping in her tracks, keeping her back to him because if she saw him, she would be more tempted to go back with him, more liable to break down when she had to be strong to fight.

Spike stopped, looking at her as he stood five feet from her, the suns light had gone enough for him to come out. "Buffy…" he began, but Buffy stopped him as she raised her hand "Spike, don't, I can't go back, I have to do this, for all of you." She said sternly. 

Spike stepped closer to her, "I know…I just wanted to see you before it began." He said, reaching out for her, touching her shoulder. Buffy closed her eyes, as she was now about to break. Spike turned her around, looking at her "Listen to me, I want you to know that…I love you." He said, shy and nervous overcoming him.

Buffy looked up at him, her eyes almost watery; "I love you too…William. You never had a better chance with me than you do now, with who you've become." She said, speaking his true name. Spike smiled "I never liked my name, not until now, it sounds right from you." He said, moving in and pressed his lips to hers. 

Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck, taking advantage of this moment, for fear of how long another like it may come again. As it ended, she looked up into his eyes, not seeing a demon, or a dead man, but just the man, who he was underneath all the hell that was him demon self, she saw him, and loved him all the more.

"Go back now, protect Dawn for me." She said, moving away from him. Spike backed away as well, reluctantly, "Always," he said "You better come back luv, or I'm coming for you." He said, promising that they'd be together again.

Buffy smiled, it was they way he wanted to remember her if she didn't come back. She turned back around and began to run towards the warehouse.

Spike stayed where he was, watching her run until he couldn't see her again, he saw her look back at him a few times, he wanted to see her until he couldn't, remember as much of her as he could "I'll go to hell and back for you if I have to." He said to himself, feeling that somehow things would change after this.

The Powers That Be Bar/Club

"We should go after her, help her!" Duncan said, pacing around the bar with the others there listening to him. "No." Angel said, standing in the shadows of the room. Duncan looked at him suddenly, as he stopped his pacing around the club "What? She'll most likely get killed going against them! They're a damn army for crying out loud!" he yelled out.

"And she's gone up against armies before believe it or not." Xander said, sitting next to Anya quietly until now "When we were dealing with Glory, she went up against an order bent on killing Dawn, she held her own against them." He said. "But they were crushed when Glory showed up later." Giles said, sitting at a table with Cordellia and Wesley with Gunn. 

Willow stood up suddenly, looking at them all "Uh, there's another time she took on an army." She said shyly, looking at Angel and the others in his crew "After Angel was sent to hell by her, she left town for a couple of months. She ended up stumbling onto a group called the Scourge." She said. 

Angel stood up at the mention of the group, as did Cordellia, remembering Doyle, how he died protecting people from the Scourge "Yeah, we ran into them before." Angel said somberly. Willow nodded hesitantly as she continued with the story "They were taking homeless teens and working them until they were old and near death, when she went in to rescue them, she had to take them all on." She said, finishing the story.

"The Scourge? They're the most relentless demon force in existence." Ethan said, nearly dropping his glass of whiskey. Willow nodded to them all "So if she can kick their asses, she can win this fight, all we can do is wait." She said, standing still nervously for a moment before sitting back next to Tara.

"She's right." Spike said, walking into the door "She can and will win, we just have to hold back for this one." He said. But before anyone could speak to his words, and explosion shook the room. "What the hell?" Joe said as they all went to the windows looking out to the streets of the town.

Outside they saw numerous demons wreaking havoc outside, "Jeez! What the hell is going on?" Duncan asked as he saw the various types of demons, some on motorcycles and others just running around with weapons destroying anything in their path, people running for their lives, screaming and being beaten.

"It's like a destructo-rama." Dawn said, looking out the window beside Spike. "We got to stop this." Angel said, Cordellia nodding next to him. "Then what are we waiting in here for? Let's go kick their asses!" Faith said, being more to her slayer nature and ready to let loose her animal instinct.

Catherine smiled as she glance over to Faith "You're talking my style there." She said as they left the window and rushed for the door. Angel followed along with Cordellia, Wesley and Gunn; Angel gave Winifred a look as Loren (Host) put an arm around her, giving him a nod that she'd be alright. Spike looked at them and sighed with a smirk and a shrug "Ah, what the hell, could be fun." He said, turning to Dawn "You stay here, I mean it cupcake." He said, looking at Joe "Watch over her will ya?" he said as he ran after the others.

Dawn walked up next to Joe and looked at him before looking at the others. "I'm going out there." Willow said, watching as the others outside took positions around the demons, waiting for the right time to strike at them. "Willow, no!" Tara said urgently as she looked at her with fear in her eyes. Willow shook her head "I can't let them fight alone." She said, brushing her hand gently across Tara's face.

"And we can't let you go out there alone either Will." Xander said, coming back from behind the storeroom with weapons in his arms. "Yes, we fight together." Giles said, taking a weapon from the young man. "Yeah, we're family right?" Anya said, taking an ax from her lover. Everyone nodded, taking a weapon, "Alright then, let's go shall we?" Giles said, as they were about to head for the door.

"Then we'll help." Duncan said, pulling out his Katanna as Methos pulled out his broad sword. "Bo, you two have to stay here, protect Dawn if any of them get into here, and most likely they will, just remember, go for the head or the heart." Ethan said, he knew that Giles or one of the others would say the same. "As for me, I have to rally the other watchers, we called in for our special tactical units, they will be here within the hour." He said, leaving for the back door.

"Ok then, watch yourselves." Methos said, holding out his hand to Giles, who in turn shook it "We will." The Englishman said before they rushed for the door. Duncan looked around and noticed someone was missing "Where's Amanda?" he asked curiously.

__

Renegade headquarters

The warehouse was dark and quiet, many men walked by, doing whatever their leader had assigned their task to, Buffy walked overhead on the walkway in the cover of shadow and darkness, watching them as she searched for where they were close, "Where are you Hunt?" she whispered to herself.

Her attention was drawn away as she heard a sound near her, on the walkway itself. She listened closely; not looking around to scare whom ever it was away, not until she heard the noise about six feet away. She reached into her coat quickly as she snapped around in a half turn, bringing it up to eye level.

"Jeez Buffy, it's only me!" Amanda hissed as she raised her hands in surrender, her wide eyes looking at the tip of Buffy's blade. Buffy lowered her sword and sighed in relief as she stowed her sword and crouched down on the walkway, looking back down at the small army below them.

Amanda crouched next to her; Buffy shook her head silently towards Amanda "You shouldn't have come. Don't try and stop me." She said quietly. Amanda brushed Buffy's hair as she smiled kindly at her, Buffy turned her head to look at her in confusion. "Buffy, I didn't come here to stop you, I came to give you this." She said, handing her a wrapped item.

Buffy took the item, seeing its length at a little over 12 inches long, she unwrapped it to find it was a dagger, along with a leather sheath "Amanda…thank you." She said, in awe from the beautiful art of the gift, the design of it was beautiful itself. She undid the loose button and removed the blade from the holder; it was a wavy design, dark silver looking. The handle was a design of a stake, with the word '_Slayer_' engraved into it.

"The handle has a wood tip, English oak, really strong. The blade it folded a few hundred times. Duncan and I wanted you to have it before you went on your own." She said, "We know we can't teach you much else now, except to be there for you if you ever need our help." She said with an almost saddened expression on her face.

Buffy looked up as she placed the blade back in its sheath "Thank you." She whispered as she leaned it to give on eof her teachers a hug "But you have to go now." she said, ending the hug. Amanda sighed as she rubbed her forehead nervously "I can help you." She began, but the look Buffy gave told her she meant business "Ok, please come back to us Buffy." She said, patting the slayers shoulder and leaving quietly.

Buffy looked as Amanda vanished into the shadows, she looked back to the dagger and placed her belt in the loop on the front of her waist quickly, looking at it, an almost dragon like design around the slayer mark.

She looked back down to the floor and saw just who she wanted to see, Alexander Hunt "There you are you bastard." She whispered angrily as she pulled out her sword once more, standing up she glared down to them "HUNT!" she screamed out in rage. 

She saw as everyone below looked up at her, especially Alexander Hunt who had a smirk on her face "Welcome to the lions den Summers!" he yelled at her.

Buffy latched a hook on the railing and leapt over it, letting the thin rope slow her decent until she landed on the floor, crouching low to the ground with her sword pointed at the leader of the Renegades. Alexander merely smiled as he pointed at her sword "Do you know how to fight with that thing?" he asked, trying to ruin her self -confidence.

Buffy still glared at him, her composure still unfazed as she stood up to her full height "Do you know how to loose?" she asked, throwing the same attack back at him.

Alexander shrugged as he pointed at her "Kill her!" he ordered. Just as he gave his order, every last soldier in his army began to charge after her, yelling as they pulled out a sword of their own. Buffy smirked as she whispered to herself "Bring it on." 

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Sunnydale – A War Zone - Giles

"NOW!" Giles yelled out to the others as they all rose from their positions and charged after the rampaging demons. Giles headed for the closest demon around him; it was decided that the slayers and others who were above the average human ability would handle the larger ones. But this one wasn't as simple as he thought; this vampire that rode on a dirt bike had charge after him.

At first he thought it was a simple idea to throw the stake at him, but as he did, his ally struck at him from behind, throwing him to the ground. Fortunately Giles had his senses intact as he looked up and rolled out of the way in time before the demon on the bike was about to run over his body. 

He pushed himself back to his feet and took firm hold of his battle-ax, spinning around rapidly, as fast as he could, as he knew the demons aid was behind him again. His ax blade found its way as he felt it slide through the demons neck. When the blurring stopped, he looked for an instant to see the remains burn to dust.

He turned back tot the sounds of a rapid and rabid engine to see the other Demon on bike coming back at him, He ran towards him, he saw that it surprised the vampire as it lost control of his bike and flew through the air, crashing and scraping across the rocks and rubble on the ground.

As he stood up, Giles ran at him, and threw his ax. Giles felt as though time slowed as he watched his ax flow across the air in a spiral. The moment came to a halt as time snapped back into full throttle as the blade shot towards the head of the demon, cutting it in half, dusting him quickly. He went to pick up his ax, but as soon as he did, he was tackled to the ground by Xander who had been thrown aside like a rag doll by a much nastier looking demon.

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Renegade Headquarters

"Come on! COME ON!" Buffy taunted as her sword moved from each attacker with each step she took. She spun around, taking five of them at the same time, her focus was determined, and her rage beyond any evil could match. Her stepping was rapid, every time she took on step, her foot would move again, almost like she was floating on air.

Her sword thrust and lashed out at the renegades, her coat reached out like a flat blade itself as she spun rapidly, blocking and striking at them, her blows injuring them and taking them down from the fight for good as she leapt onto a table, her footing was as rapid in the air as on the ground as she split her legs, sending her feet into the faces of two soldiers.

As she landed, she sprung to action before her feet hit the table, her skipped and hopped, avoiding the blades of her enemies as she flipped in the air on her side, landing back on the floor behind them.

She soon found herself surrounded by them as she still attacked like the wind; her movements were a blur to them. She found that she couldn't hold her own like this for long because she found them highly able to adapt to her strategies, so she decided to make things more difficult.

She leapt up, reaching for a pole above them as her sword clashed with a few of theirs, her feet lunged forward at them, sending two of them flying back with a bloody face. Her legs hooked onto the second pole at her knee length from her, she pushed her way on top to the poles and moved herself furiously with one arm and her legs as she avoided the swords being thrust up towards her body.

Her sword still thrust and swung at them, '_They're good._' She thought to herself as she rolled aside far enough away as she avoided a large cluster of their swords, one of them got lucky and caught her along her hip, making a light cut on her hip, slicing into her flesh. But she remain unfazed as she leapt off the poles and landed back into the midst of them once more, moving like lightening.

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Sunnydale – Catherine and Faith

"Look out!" Faith yelled as she threw her dagger at the demon coming up next to Catherine who was disposed with killing a mere vampire who had come into her way. What surprised Faith was that Catherine had caught the blade with ease and swung it at its throat, but what surprised them both was that it simply stared at them both in disgust and anger.

"Oh boy." Catherine said as a smirk showed on her face "You're going to be fun!" she said as she took the dagger and slashed at the large demon quickly. She rolled back as it swung its fist at her. Faith watched as she ran up to see the demon punch a hole into the wall by them. She kneeled down and helped Catherine up, "Are you ok?" she asked her with concern.

Catherine nodded, as she stood back up, already prepared for another round with the Goliath of a demon "Yeah." She said, looking at her as the demon waited for them to attack him. Catherine held the dagger back to Faith "Keep it, I got my own." Faith said, taking out a second Dagger that was exactly like the other she had just given to Catherine. 

Catherine looked at hers to see it had a wicked design, a hook on the back blade as it curved on the razor edge, it was similar to Buffy's sword. "Ok, let's do this." She said, Faith nodding at her.

The two of them ran, charging at the large demon. Faith hopped onto a fire extinguished and leapt into the air with her foot sprung out at the demons head as Catherine went low and thrust her dagger at its midsection. As Catherine's dagger slit into it deeply.

Faiths foot bashed into its face hard, she noticed some blood begin to gush out as she landed next to Catherine. Without stopping they brought their daggers up and thrust them upwards. They felt their blades sink into its head roughly, slicing into its skull and burrowing deep into its head. They heard it scream in pain and anger as it swiped at them with its fist. Both went flying off to the side on the ground.

Faith rubbed her head as she felt Catherine on top of her "Ow!" she said angrily as they got back onto their feet "That's it, now I'm angry!" Catherine said as she threw herself at the demon, leaping into the air her fist threw itself back as she threw it back forward with all her strength. 

Her fist struck the demon with great force while it was trying to remove the daggers from its head; it didn't see her in time as her fist collided with its head with enough force to punch it to bits. The daggers had done enough damage for her to shatter its head; it fell to the ground dead, its head no longer there but in parts all over the ground and her hand.

Faith got up and rushed to her side "Whoa." She said as she saw the damage done by Catherine's single blow. Catherine turned to her and placed a hand on her shoulder with concern "Are you alright?" she asked with care. Faith smiled as she wiped a bit of blood from a cut on her shoulder through the torn clothing "I'm game for more if you are babe." She said with a smile.

"Damn right I am, I'm just getting warmed up." Catherine replied with a smile, they looked behind them to see Giles and Xander trying to fight off a few demons that were ganging up on Anya, Tara and Willow. "Let's bail them out!" Catherine said as they rushed towards them in defense.

__

Renegade headquarters

Buffy's kick struck at the soldiers, they flew back, colliding with others as they crashed into the wall and on the floor in a pile of unconscious bodies. She snapped her head over to the other ones charging after her, she smiled at them as she jumped into the air, spinning into a blur as she feet lashed out at them, kicking each of them hard and repeatedly.

The group of them flew back with blood flying in the air as they were instantly defeated by her, her speed was now what seemed at the rate of a jet plane, moving hundreds of miles a second! Her rage was amplified, each moment that kept her from Alexander, the angrier she became.

Her sword flew upwards at a beam of wood holding up a large looking shelf over the heads of a group of others preparing to attack her. Her blade stuck into it and threw it away from under the shelf. The shelf began to fall over, the soldiers looked up and tried to get away, but their actions weren't fast enough as it fell on top of them, flying into splinters and rendering them out of the fight. 

"HUNT!" she screamed out as she looked around, what was left of the renegades ran away, retreating from her.

"Oh dear slayer, how you have unknowingly bested me!" she heard, it was Hunt, his voice wasn't what she was expecting, he was in a happy toned mood other than angry. "Come out here and fight you bastard!" she yelled as she grabbed her sword from the wooden beam.

"And let you win? You couldn't beat me Summers, especially where I can beat you in another way, something more to your abilities, but you're already to late, it's already begun." He yelled out, hinting to what was happening in Sunnydale.

"What are you talking about Hunt?" she asked angrily, lowering her sword to her side. She saw Hunt come out from hiding finally, seeing the look of perverse joy on his face "Oh you little blonde dim wit, you think these men are all that are under my command? Demons work under me too, and as we speak, they're already turning Sunnydale and your friends into a pile of ashes!" he said, his look of joy changing to a look of loathing and anger.

Buffy's eyes widened as she realized he was expecting her to come after him, but she knew the others better than he did, she knew that even without her, they could win against whatever he sent after them.

"It doesn't matter what you do, they've all fought against better that what you can think up in that little pea brain of yours." She said angrily, bringing her sword back up to him "And you're gonna pay for doing what you did to Catherine, and my sister." She said in a lower growling tone.

She watched as Hunt took a sword of his own out from behind him "Ah, yes, this is what I want, you out of the picture. Do you have any idea how difficult you've made things for me? I had this great plan all worked out, and you just had to walk into it, and throw it down the crapper, thanks." He said sarcastically as he walked closer to her, his sword trained on her, the blade shining with the light reflection of the polished sword.

She looked in shock as his features changes grotesquely, she watched as he morphed into some hideous being, his eyes turning into dark, black spheres. "You're a demon." She said huskily. Hunt too his sword and tossed it aside, it clattered on the ground as he kept his gaze upon her with contempt.

"Yeah, I'm a fucking demon, a nasty one at that." He said, raising his lower arms upwards. He clenched his fists, as soon as he did, metallic, razor sharp blades sprung from the back of his hands "And I'm gonna take your head. Because I'm not your ordinary demon." he began.

Buffy felt a small tingle in the back on her head, she stood still as it intensified into a horrid buzz, she dropped to her knees as she clutched her head with her free hand "What? An immortal demon?" she said in sock as the buzz faded away and she regained her posture.

"Yeah, like that little trick? Comes with the mixed breeding. Neat huh?" he said, smiling at her sadistically. They began to circle each other, their blades pointed at each other.

"You know, I'm glad you're alive now that I come to think of it. Because I'm a vampire, and an immortal, and you killed my sire a long time ago." He said, inching closer to her as the circled the room on opposite ends of one another. Buffy smiled with a grin "Really? Who was morons name?" she asked, trying to get into his head.

Alexander smiled as he raised an eyebrow "You knew him, he killed you for awhile." He said, hinting to her the truth. Buffy looked at him with seriousness as they stopped circling "The Master." She said. Hunt nodded "That's right! Good! One cookie for you little girl." He said in an insulting tone "I was his first when he was new, I was the beginning of his reign. The one who spread his gift to hundreds of others until he was imprisoned here on the Hellmouth." He said.

Buffy stopped, as she felt almost sick, he was one of the first Vampires in the recorded history of the demons, the vampires. She shook off the feeling and regained her thoughts "It doesn't matter how old you are, he was older, and he died like a pathetic third rate demon, just like you're going to." She said, reasserting her rage.

Hunt nodded as he smiled "Sure he was old, but I've taken many heads, had so many powerful quickenings, and how many had you had? None, you're fresh, new. No competition." He said, "Now you get to die with your family." He said just before he finally lashed out, thrusting his blades towards her.

__

Sunnydale – Willow

Willow blocked the attack with Tara and Anya with a large piece of wood they found on the ground, the group of demons that came after them was almost too much for them. They felt the weapons they wielded slice into the wood, Willows eyes widened as the tip of the blade stopped just an inch from her face. 

They dropped the shattering wood and backed away, Willow looked at Tara and Anya, both were afraid, and she could see it in their eyes. Tara looked over to her, breathing heavily, fear in her eyes. Willow saw this and then snapped her head towards the demons, her eyes turned to a death black color, her hair wild and in her face, a look or rage and scowling at the demons who suddenly stopped "Die." She said to them.

Before anything could be done, white, brilliant bolts of energy rose around her, lashing out at the demons violently. The others backed away for a moment as their ally was turned to a smoldering ash hot cinder. But they immediately tried to attack her again, but when Willow saw the look of fear on her loves face, it drove her to the darkest recesses of her power and lash out.

More streaks of pure energy lashed out, the encircled her mingled together into a web surrounding her and Tara and Anya. The demons that tried to kill them caught themselves in the web of pure energy.

"How?" Anya asked Tara as she saw Willow use her abilities in a way she hadn't seen yet. Tara leaned in close to her "She risen to a new level of her powers, she's using spiritual energy. It's the highest any witch has ever come, and it's dangerous, if she over does it, she could burn herself out." She said in a low tone.

Soon the web of pure spiritual energy faded and Willow turned to them "You two ok?" she asked with concern for Tara mostly, Anya knew that, but didn't take offense, she would have asked the same for Xander who had ran up to them with Giles "You ok?" Xander asked as he hugged her tightly.

"We're alright, what about Angel and the others?" Willow asked, looking at their direction. They saw as Angel and Gunn fought like maniacs as Cordellia and Wesley covered their backs. 

"We'd better help." Tara said, putting her fear aside as she looked at them fighting against an overpowering odd. They saw as Faith and Catherine leapt into the fight. They ran towards them to take some of the pressure off them.

Willows eyes went dark once more as she flared up her power once more "Tara, stay with me." She said. Tara stopped and took Willows hand as she reached out to her hand and took it, holding it tightly. Tara came within the web with Willow, looking at her with a calm "It's time I teach you more. Close you eyes and see through mine, hear my mind, feel my mind." Willow said.

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Renegade Headquarters

Buffy dodged and leapt away from Hunt as his speed and blades flew at her just as fast as she could block them, he was more than a match for her and she knew it well. She breather heavily as her heart raced and her skin was hot and flowing with sweat.

She saw an opening in his stance and struck at him, she moved as quick as he did, her blade moved through the air with precision as she found it blocked by his blade. She pulled it back and brought it around, thrusting it up from under his before he could pull away.

Her sword struck at the base where his hand was and his sword just exited form it. Hunt screamed in pain as her sword shattered the blade off from his arm. He held his hand in pain as he staggered back "Bitch! That hurt!" he yelled at her in pain.

Buffy smiled as she waved her hand for him to continue this fight. Hunt took his good hand and ran after her, slashing the blade in every direction. Buffy was powerless to just dodge as best she could. The blade aimed for her waist, her head, her arms and face, she leapt, dodged, and backed away as soon and a quickly as she could.

Hunts blade swiped for her waist once more, but this time she wasn't quick enough as she felt the blade cut into her deeply. She put a hand over her bleed wound as she staggered a few steps away in pain. She looked up at him to see him charging at her, she couldn't avoid him in time, she went with his attack as his shoulder collided with her body and sent her reeling away, crashing into a crate not far away.

The wood gave out behind her and splinters flew around her. She lay in the pile of broken wood as she still help her unhealed wound, looking up at Hunt.

"Time to die." Hunt said as his once broken blade had extruded from his hand once more, regrown and healed. Buffy nodded as she took firm hold over her sword as energy crackled across her wound, only leaving a quickly fading scar "Yes it is."

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Sunnydale – Spike

Spike had lured a few of the demons on bikes away from the others, giving them the advantage of a fair fight with the others. He stood in the path of one of his enemies now, the demon riding towards him quickly at full speed. Spike stood still and calm as he waited for the right time to allow himself to strike, the time was approaching him quickly.

Just as the demon biker was a few feet away, Spike spun into motion, stepping aside and bringing his fist up as he spun around, swinging at the demons head with all the force he could summon. As the demon tried to swerve away, it was too late as Spikes fist rammed into its face with enough force to send it reeling away off the bike as it continued to ride on without him.

Spike spun around as he heard the revving of another engine, he looked as he saw a group of three vampires aimed at him, leaning on one foot as they revved their bikes, the sounds were like a violent symphony of furor.

Just as Spike regained his footing, facing them with dignity and honor. He knew that he may not win this round, but his strength commanded that he at least try "Ah, which one of you blokes is next?" he asked, beckoning for them to come after him. 

Just as the first of them began to charge after him, a huge flash of energy thrashed down upon them in a magnificent maelstrom. The recoil of it sent Spike flying back on his back in a daze. When he shook his head and looked back to the three demons, he saw nothing but a fire and their ashes flying around in a swirl. 

Spike looked over to the left of him to see Willow and Tara standing by him, smiling down at him "Remind me never to make an offensive comment to you again ok?" he said, slightly fearful of their power. The energy around them faded as they crouched next to him "Don't worry, we'll give you a head start." Willow said in a remarkably cheerful mood.

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Renegade Headquarters

Buffy flew back and landed on her knees, clutching her body as she wrapped her arm over her wounded and bloody shoulder, her face had blood from cuts that had already healed, her arm felt like it was just broken in four places and her vision was blurry a little.

"Ok, I don't get it, why do you keep fighting? You can't win!" Hunt yelled at her, frustration at his inability to kill her, yet his apparent ability to maim and wound her seriously. Buffy lowered her head, hiding her face; her hair was loose as messy strands dropped over her face, and to Hunt's surprise she began to laugh and chuckle to herself.

"What? Why are you laughing?" he asked her, lowering his blades to his sides. Buffy looked up at him with an almost insane look of joy on her face, her eyes were wide and he saw that what was behind them wasn't joy, it was the tip of the iceberg of her rage, her true power coming out.

The sounds of bones cracking were heard, Buffy felt the shattered bone in her arm begin to heal and mend itself back into one, strong whole once more. She stood up, her sword in her other hand as she stood tall "Why do I keep fighting? I'll tell you why, because I'm a slayer pal, We fight till we die, and then we're reborn to fight again, we live by two things: Strength and Honor, and you have none of those." She said, her face growling at him in silence.

Hunt shook his head in anger as he brought his swords up to her again "Let's try this again shall we? So this time, die will you?" he said just before he let out a blood curling scream and charged after her.

__

Sunnydale – Methos/Angel/Duncan

Duncan and Methos guarded the others as they stood by the door, waiting as calm as they could for who or whatever may decide to walk into the club. The sounds of the battle raging outside seemed to quiet down a little, Dawn had told them that they seemed a little beat up, but the others were doing well, holding their own against the small lynch mob of demons.

They stood in silence; everyone else was by the bar, where they'd be safe if anything had begun in the club. Just as it seemed that it was coming to an end, Dawn's eyes widened and she ran form the window as quickly as she could yelling "Oh crap!" just before it exploded with Angel body flying through.

Angel crashed on the floor, sliding away a few feet before he came to a full halt. "Angel!" Winifred Yelled as she ran from behind the bar and slide to her knees next to him, putting her arms around him, fearing that he was seriously hurt. Angel opened his eyes and brushed off the shards of glass on him, looking up at her "I'm ok." He said, getting back to his feet slowly with her help. 

Wesley, Gunn and Cordellia ran in through the door suddenly, Duncan and Methos cam to attention, bringing their swords up for a blow. "Whoa! Wait, it's us!" Cordellia yelled as they all raised their arms in the air. Duncan brought his sword down as did Methos "How is it out there?" Methos asked, checking Cordellia for wounds. Cordellia nodded as the others walked past them to Angel and the others.

"It's not too bad anymore, we got them on the run, but they're really fighting more than before now." Cordellia said as Methos checked her over for any injuries that might be serious "I'm fine." She said, getting a little annoyed by his smothering. Methos looked up at her, tolerating her attitude "You're hurt, this wound on your stomach could get worse, I can stitch you up." He said, leading her to the bar.

Cordellia looked at her stomach to see a wound that was bleeding rather badly; she didn't even realize it until Methos had seen it. "Joe, I need some clean rags and alcohol. Dawn, get a needle and thread, I have some in the first aid kit back there." Methos said, lifting Cordellia on the bar table and laying her back "Be still, it's rather deep." He said urgently.

Gunn and Wesley cam up to Angel and Winifred, Duncan had come as well "They're outside the building, its only a matter of time before they come in here at full force, and the others are trying to handle the others in the streets." Wesley said. Gunn nodded "Yeah, we need some heavy guns." He said, referring to their odds that were not within their favor.

"I can help." Duncan said, eager to know the fighting styles of a demon, he was curious, he couldn't help it. "So can I." Amanda said, running into the room huffing to catch her breath. "Then take care of Cordellia." Methos said, he had begun stitching up Cordellias stomach. Amanda nodded and rushed over to her as Methos left her side and joined Angel and the others.

They heard the clatter of glass as they stood still; they each turned their heads slowly as they saw the leader of the demon mob himself. A grotesque looking demon with piercing and wearing leather. The others stood around him, eager for his orders as they looked at the group with eager rage and violence.

Angel stood in front of Winifred, she held onto the remains of his shirt as she peered over his shoulder in fear "Wesley Gunn, you two stay back, a few of them are going to get past Duncan, Methos and me, be ready for then. Fred, get back behind the bar and help Amanda with Cordy." He said as his face changed and morphed in mere seconds, showing the demon that was his enemy and ally.

Angel looked over to Methos and Duncan, they seemed a little uneasy by the sudden change in his appearance, but they hid it well enough "Ok, remember to go for their heads, shouldn't be too hard considering the immortal way of life." He said as Winifred left from behind him and Wesley and Gunn backed off a few steps.

"I'll handle the leader." Methos said, locking eyes with the gruesome demon. Angel nodded, he wasn't going to doubt Methos or Duncan, he had heard about the and their skill, and about Methos being the oldest of all immortals.

The demon leader sized them up as he growled at them, "Tear them up." He hissed to his followers. The mob immediately began to growl and charge towards the three warriors in a violent and mad attack.

Duncan and Angel charged after them, Duncan with his sword trained on the closest demon to him as Angel leapt into the air with his fists primed as he growled viciously. 

Methos remained back, his eyes locked with the leaders; the fight around each of them didn't exist anymore. Methos brought his sword up, as he stood ready for the demon. The demon raised his hands as his claws extended, showing them at his hands length and razor sharp as Methos' blade.

The two stood still for a moment as Angel and Duncan fought furiously around them with the overpowering mob. And one blinked.

Both began to charge at the other, Methos brought up his sword and swung out at the demons head, but was caught as he wasn't expecting the demon to leap into the air over him. Methos tried to evade an attack from the demon, but wasn't fast enough as he felt the claws slice into his back a little.

He faltered over on the ground as he turned, holding his arm with his free hand her looked up to see the demon smiling devilishly at him "That your best?" he asked as he charged at the demon.

This time the demon did the same, it leapt into the air over him, but Methos knew how to adapt to an enemy's tactics, he shifted his weight around to the opposite end and put all the force and momentum he had into his swing as he brought the sword to bear on the enemy.

The demon leader turned before Methos could complete his attack. Methos' sword clashed with the claws, the demon forced his sword down lower from its head, but it was a mistake as he soon saw a new opening in the defense.

Methos pushed with all his weight, his blade slid against the claws with an ear-shattering shriek and pierce its skin, slicing deep through its torso. The demon growled angrily as it looked at him and smiled "Nice try." It said as it punched Methos across the jaw by surprise.

Methos fell back as his sword exited from the demon, the blade covered with a dark fluid that was its blood. Methos looked up at the demon who still stood at full height, and remembered, its head, aim for the head. Methos got back to his feet quickly and brought his sword up once more, ready for another round.

Duncan and Angel were fighting side by side. Duncan's sword flew and spun from side to side as he took limbs and heads from the various vampires attacking him, reducing them to dust in seconds. Angel was going more berserk wit each blow he delivered. 

His senses were screaming with the scent of blood, his vision blurred to a crimson red as she slashed and tore his way through each demon before him.

Duncan spun around as a stray shot hit him square in the face, his leg sprang up and threw out to the demon nearest to him, and his spin came to a halt as his foot scrapped across the ground. His sights turned to his left as another demon came rushing after him as it leapt into the air "Boy you guys like to jump." He whispered to himself as his sword came up rapidly and sliced through its neck. Duncan glimpsed before moving on as its head and body flew away from each other as they turned to ashes in the air.

Angel leapt at the few demons remaining, she fangs unsheathed as his emotions spoke rage and retribution for those these demons had killed, those they wronged. He was caught off guard by one hiding off to the side, he tumbled to the ground, he was more exhausted than he realized. He forced himself back to his feet as he prepared himself for more of this fight.

"Angel, catch!" Amanda yelled as she tossed her sword in the air towards him. Angel looked up as it flew in the air, suspended for a moment. He ran towards it as it came down and caught it just before it collided with the floor.

His grip was firm as he took hold of the hilt, he spun around and reached his arm forth as his blade found its target, he swiped the heads off of two vampires in one stroke. He stood up straight as he looked at the sword in his hand and Duncan coming back to his side, this fight over with for the time being.

"Where's Methos?" Angel asked as he looked around the now empty room to see that Methos and the demon leader were now gone from it. They looked at each other and realized what had gone down during their fight "Oh shit, they're outside, with their leaders reinforcements.

They ran out the door quickly to try and help their friend in any way they could, but stopped at the sight before them. Methos stood there, his face dripped with blood as his wounds still not healed, his arm was torn up and his sword was stained red with blood "Hey…what took you?" he asked as he slowly walked towards them and collapsed.

Duncan rushed towards his friend and caught him just in time as he passed out from exhaustion.

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Renegade headquarters

Alexander Hunt flew through the air as he spun around, a vein of blood whipped out from his split lip as he collided with a concrete pillar. He fell to the ground with a loud thump. He looked up to Buffy, looking like she had been shredded and rewoven again.

Her clothes were shredded mostly, the remains were now red and soaked in each others blood. The energy used in her attack had caused her to collapse to the ground along with him. Slowly they both stood up and faced each other. Hunt weakly grinned with a look that made Buffy nervous.

He bolted with a limp as he ran for the door leading outside. Buffy was the faster as she followed him outside and tackled him onto the stone road. The rolled away from each other as they tried to catch their breath, Buffy still found her sword in her hand, her grasp was barely strong enough to keep it in her hand. 

Hunt was none the better for wear, his hand was missing now, the blade was gone along with it, he good hand still had a red blade there still, he made his way back to his feet, knowing as much as Buffy did that this was it, the end of this battle between Vampire and slayer, immortal against immortal.

Hunt tackled her to the ground before she could get up quickly enough, his blade at her throat as he landed on top of her, pinning her down with his weight "Looks like I win slayer, see you in the next life…I'd like to kill you again." He said with a growing smile on his deformed vampire face "I must admit, I've killed dozens of slayers over the millennia, but none were as you have been, I will drink your blood after I take your head with pride." He said as he brought his blade up.

Buffy grinned herself as she reached below her belt.

Hunt was about the thrust his blade down upon her when he stopped, the feeling on an intense and sharp pain burrowed deep into him. He looked down to see her with a dagger in his chest, he looked at her in shock "B-but…I'm older, I've killed all who came for…me." He said. Buffy found her sword by her hand and grabbed it.

With all her strength she swung for him. His head fell off, moving through the air slowly to her perceptions. His body fell over, releasing her from where she was pinned to the ground. She rolled over to her front as she slowly pushed herself up to her knees.

She looked down to the ground as the remains of Alexander Hunt burned and disintegrated to ash, she covered her eyes and winced as what was left behind was a swirl of energy, like lightening bolts that snapped and danced across the air. A growing mist surrounded her and seemed to vanish within her, sinking into her every pore and orifice.

She felt the ease and calm of it all, it was like a barrier was coming down around her mind and the realm of dreams and nightmares, it frightened her a little yet it also gave her a calm she rarely felt.

As she opened her eyes, she gazed upon the light, blue with such a brilliant white vastness to it. It suddenly lashed out to her, she jerked and convulsed under the power of it as it coursed through it. She energy began to surround her and pulsate through and into her.

Her mind rushed with images, many of them were bloody and horrific, she wanted to scream in agony as she stretch out with her arms, arching her back and throwing her head back. '_This is the quickening_' She thought to herself, the feeling it gave her was amazing, the images were nightmarish as some were lovely. 

She jerked her body as waves of the quickening ran into her. As she witnessed the atrocities that Hunt had committed over the centuries, she wept, a tear ran down her cheek as she felt the power begin to fade into herself. As the energy dimmed and vanished, she dropped down, sitting on her legs, breathing heavily as her hands lay before her.

"Oh god…" she whispered as she began to cry, tears flowing from her eyes as she not only now had his experiences and strength, she felt the horrible guilt of every crime he had done, the horrors that were his were now hers. She remembered the things he had done as if she herself had done them, the wall between her and him had crumbled through the infusion of his essence.

She looked at her hands, trembling, she felt horrible, the feeling of blood all over them, "I-I'm a…monster, what have I done?" she asked herself, loosing herself to the memories.

__

Sunnydale

"Ethan…I have to say, for a group that's supposed to watch and record the lives of each slayer, you sure have a hell of a lot of firepower." Joe said as he walked out of the club and onto the now quiet street where everyone else was now standing around the empty battle zone.

Ethan chuckled as he turned around to Joe, his men were stationed around the area now, checking for any other demons in the area wreaking havoc among the citizens of the town "Ah, Joe, we have but one answer for that: You never know." He said with a grin.

The silence was broken as they heard what sounded like thunder, Spike and the rest of the others who were regrouping at the club with Joe and Ethan looked upwards to the sky, in the direction of the old warehouse.

"The quickening." Duncan said as he realized that Buffy's battle had now ended too "But how? What other immortal was around her? It can't be Buffy." Xander said pointing in the direction of the bursts and cracks of energy dancing across the sky.

"It's her, that's coming from the old warehouse." Spike said, his voice sounding distant as his thoughts raced "Oh god." He said to himself as he bolted towards one of the dirt bikes near him. He pulled it up and got onto it, quickly starting the engine.

"Spike wait!" Dawn screamed after him as she ran towards him and quickly hoped on behind him, tied her arms around his waist as he popped the clutch and speeded away towards the warehouse.

Everyone in the street outside the club watched as they sped off quickly, their hopes as to what they'd find where they arrived at the warehouse, the looks on their faces, the worry, concern, longing to see their beloved friend once more.

Spike and Dawn sped through the open streets now, free of the rubble and wreckage. He put the bike into high gear as he gave it all the throttle it had, moving them all the more faster through the empty streets. Dawn tightened her hold on Spike as she closed her eyes, afraid to watch as he cut past trees and into the old roads.

The bike flew into the air as Spike flew off a ledge and into the cemetery, he knew that the path he took earlier was just ahead and then it was a straight line to the warehouse. He road into the bushes, brushing past them as he found himself on the path, his face showed determination to get to her, he never flinched, not showing fear of nearly colliding with something.

But he wouldn't be stopped, her said he'd come for her, and now he was.

Buffy lay on her side on the ground, she looked straight forward as she heard the sounds of something approaching her, she didn't care as he mind raced with thoughts and images that she now believed to be her own, he remembered ancient days that were now long forgotten. Faces of those she believed she had murdered, their names no longer a part of the human language.

"Buffy?" she heard as she closed her eyes, tears now running down her face. Biting her lip she rolled further away as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. "Buffy, it's us, Dawn and Spike, what's wrong? What happened?" she heard. Her sister, how could she face her? What would she think of her if she knew of the horrors that now lived in her heart and mind.

"Buffy…" Spike said as he kneed before her, facing her. He touched her shoulder as she looked up at him. "Oh no…" Spike whispered as he saw the look of her tear stained eyes, the look that existed past them, he knew that something was terribly wrong with her. "William…" she said, reaching up for his face, but as her fingers were about to touch his skin, she snapped her hand back, clutching it to her chest as she looked away in sadness and pain.

Spike took off his coat and covered her with it "Come on Dawn, we have to get her back, something's wrong with her." He said. "W-will she be ok?" Dawn asked fearfully as Spike picked up her sister as they began to walk back to the club.

Spike didn't know what to say, he never hid things or lied to Dawn, and he wouldn't start now "I hope so cupcake."

__

Powers That Be Club

"So what's wrong with her?" Willow asked as she paced around the room with impatience. Tara stood up and walked over to her, placing an arm over her shoulder she led her back t a seat "It's going to be ok, she'll be ok." Tara said, trying to calm and comfort Willow.

Ethan came out of Buffy's room with Duncan and Methos and Giles. Everyone stood up around the loft where Buffy lived, their faces showing the need for answers. "So? What's wrong with her?" Xander asked, being the spokes person for the group. 

The four took a seat and looked at them sternly. "I'll start." Duncan said, leaning forward in his seat "To begin, Alexander Hunt wasn't totally human, he was…both immortal and Vampire." He said. Everyone looked at him as they retook their seats "He was both?" Gunn asked as they all gave their full attention.

Duncan nodded "Yes, and don't ask more about it cause none of us have ever seen something like this before, I didn't even know that vampires existed a few months ago let alone that Immortals could become ones." He said. Methos raised his hand, catching their attention "Apparently the qualities that an immortal has were different with Hunt, he could do thins a little differently than a normal human could, and his quickening was far more different than that of any other immortals." He said.

"We've come up with a theory as to what's happened to Buffy." Ethan said, looking to Methos and Duncan. Methos stood up, holding two strings that were tied together "Alright, now imagine that the knot here is an immortal, per say Duncan, Amanda or myself, and this string is us," he said. Pulling at one of the string while letting the other hang loosely "Now, when we take a head of an immortal, their quickening becomes a part of us," he continued.

Methos then angled the two tied strings so that the loose one was hanging just beside it, parallel to the one he pulled on so it was just next to it as though it was one string. "Now this is what we believe happened to Buffy when she took Hunts head." Duncan said as he nodded to Methos.

Methos looped the loose string around the one he pulled on, coiling it around the tightened string. "We believed that the quickening Buffy endured occurred differently than an ordinary one, it must have…" Giles tried to continue, but he didn't know how to say what it was they now knew.

"Ok, to tell it the way it is, when one has a quickening, all the knowledge and experiences that the looser had comes into you, it becomes a part of you. But the memories aren't yours, and you remember them, but not as if they were your memories, you remember them from your enemies point of view, his thoughts, his feelings, they still remain apart from you." He said as he stood up and lecturing everyone on the 'science' behind immortals.

"Yes…" Giles said, regaining his words and thoughts "But what happened to Buffy was that all the memories and thoughts, everything that was Hunt, she now feels and sees them as her own memories, there is no separation from her and Hunts…quickenings, auras, spirits, whatever one would call it. It's as if the quickening acted like…when a vampire turns a human into one of them. Hunts quickening must have tried to replace and take over her body." He said.

"Then why didn't it?" Tara asked as she held Willow close to her, rubbing her shoulder with care and affection. "We believe it was a dark quickening." Duncan said as he slouched in his seat for a moment. "A what?" Anya asked as she scratched her head and looked rather perplexed.

"It's something that Mac went through a few years back, really nasty thing too." Joe said, sitting back in his chair.

Duncan began his story of how the quickening her endured years ago nearly got him and his friends killed, how he nearly lost himself and something evil took his place.

As he finished the tale, the others looked at him oddly, not like he was a freak or monster, it was more of a sad look really, sorry for what he went through in trying to set something right with his now dead friend. 

"B-but this isn't like that though right?" Dawn asked, sitting next to Spike on a sofa. Duncan shook his head "No, and like I said, we're working on theory here so I'm sorry if this is somewhat confusing for all of you, but we believe that Hunts quickening worked on the same basic level." He said.

Giles stood up, frustrated over all this, the person he loved and cared about as his own flesh and blood, his surrogate daughter was in that room in pain and misery. "To put it simply, she believes that his memories are hers, in every sense, she believes that she murdered and committed unspeakable acts of evil." Giles said.

Everyone shook their heads, some stood up and paced around the room away form the others. Dawn leaned on Spike as she held back her pain, she wanted to help her sister, be there, help stop this pain she felt. "Can I see her?" she asked weakly, her eyes beginning to water as she lost ground against her tears forcing their way through.

"Only for a little Dawn, she isn't well." Giles said as she walked over to his touch and he led her to the door, as he opened the door she looked back to everyone trying to show a brave face, she looked back tot he dark room. "Remember, only for a little." Giles whispered to her as she walked into the room.

The door gently closed behind her as she stood in the dark room with only a dim light entering from the closed drapes. "Buffy?" Dawn called out softly. She heard the sounds of crying, whimpering somewhere. She looked to the bed but found it empty. She walked away from the door and further into the room. She followed the sounds of her sister to the corner of the room, next to the dresser that hid her.

"Buffy." Dawn said as she came up to her and dropped to her knees, pulling her sister into an embrace "It's alright Buffy." She said as she held her sister tightly, her head on her shoulder as she cried more freely now. "How can you even look at me or touch me, I'm a monster." Buffy sobbed into her sisters shoulder.

Dawn pulled away from Buffy as she held her at arms length by the shoulders "Listen, you didn't do anything, it was all Hunt, he did these things." She said. Buffy shook her head, the confusion and shock of it all still strong in her mind "No, I did it, I …oh god." Buffy said as she collapsed on the floor on Dawns knees, crying.

"I can't believe this, her first quickening and this happens to her." Duncan said to Giles as they leaned by the window, overlooking the street below with officials trying to assess the damage from the earlier battle. "This shouldn't have happened at all." Giles said, sounding angry as he stared out the window.

"What do you mean, she's an immortal now, it's our way, the way we have to live." Duncan said, looking at him. Giles pushed himself away from the window, looking at Duncan with the definite look of anger in his eyes "I mean it isn't within her to kill people."

"Has she told you about how she died, about the hell-god Glory?" he asked. Duncan nodded "Yes, it was the first story she told us after we found out about her being a slayer." He said, trying to understand this anger towards him. Giles lowered his head with a sigh "I'm sorry, I do understand that you taught her to kill in order for her to live, and I thank you for that." He said.

"But, there are things about her that you don't know, something I told Glorys counterpart Ben before I…killed him in order to kill Glory." He said. At the mention of killing, Duncan looked at Giles in surprise, he understood that the Englishman had done the act to save lives. "I told Ben as he lay there, injured and bleeding. He was surprised that Buffy hadn't killed him. I told him that…she couldn't. Even with the knowledge that Glory would come back and extract revenge on her and us, the world for her mercy, she still couldn't bring herself to do it, take a human life."

Giles removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose "She's a hero you see, she's not like us." He said, putting on his glasses once more. Looking back out to the streets below.

"I have a new theory." Duncan said, Giles turned back to Duncan, leaning back on the window ledge "Do tell then." He said. "Hunt may have been…more human than demon, immortals and humans are the same, even more, Demons are still human in a way too aren't they?" he asked, Giles nodded his head "To Buffy, she killed a man, and I suppose that she couldn't handle it." 

"Yes." Duncan said, Giles understood what he was aiming for philosophically. Duncan shook his head and raised his hands "But even so, how would she have known?" he asked as there were things he was thinking about that just made it difficult for it to stick.

"I saw it during the quickening." Buffy said as she and Dawn walked out of the room, Dawn standing next to her closely. "When I took his…head. I saw everything he knew, what happened to him to make him the way he was." She said, Dawn leading her to a chair and sitting her down.

"When I experienced it, I saw his life, everything. He was an immortal, and he was turned by the master long ago, but he was an immortal. You were right Giles, he was more human than demon, and I killed him." She said sadly as she slouched deeper into her seat.

"It doesn't matter Buffy, he was going to use Catherine and do a lot of nasty shit!" Faith said, trying to help Buffy with what was afflicting her. Buffy shook her head "Blood is on my hands, the things I've done." She said somberly in a low voice, her face covered with the strands of hair falling over her eyes.

"You didn't do anything Buffy, it was all him!" Xander said, walking up to her, trying to help the problem through aggressiveness. Buffy looked up at him, but her expression had changed, it wasn't sadness or self loathing, it was an angered expression. 

Her body snapped to life as she grabbed him by his neck and lifted him off the ground. "What do you know? Do you know what it's like to tear flesh apart? The feeling of it? Do you? Answer!" she screamed in a deep voice, everyone ran up to her, trying to get her to let go of him, Xander grabbed her arm trying to loosen her grip on him.

Her grip suddenly vanished as Xander fell to the ground, he coughed and rubbed his neck as Anya ran to his side asking if he was alright. They looked to Buffy who had a shocked look on her face, her hand still where it was when she was strangling Xander "Oh god." She whispered in a breath. 

She slowly backed away from everyone. Faith and Catherine ran towards her "Buffy…" Catherine began, but Buffy snapped again, "Get away from me!" she screamed as she gave her a backhand. Catherine was strong and her head threw back, but came back facing her in a mere second.

The two slayers took hold of her as Buffy began to get violent and screaming "No! Let me go!" she kept screaming as the others, Angel and Spike ran to help them, trying to calm her down as they fell to the ground, holding her arms and legs down as she began to thrash and lash out at them "You're all going to die!" Buffy screamed as she continued to thrash against their hands holding her down.

They all couldn't believe what they were seeing, Buffy was acting like a demon, it was as though she were a totally different person. "Buffy! Stop it!" Spike yelled, trying to keep her right arm from breaking loose from his grip and smashing his face in. Buffy suddenly stopped and breathed heavily, tears crawling down her face as she began to mumble to herself.

"Oh goddess." Willow whispered as she ran up to them and kneeled over Buffy "Hey, calm down, it's all going to be alright Buffy." She whispered to her friend, gentle letting her sit up as she held her closely.

The others sat back as she caught their breathes, Faith moved over to Catherine as she checked the bruise on her face "Hey, you ok?" she asked her quietly. Catherine nodded as she rubbed the bruise "Yeah, five by five hey?" she said smiling at her.

"We'd better get her back to her bed, sedate her." Ethan said. Spike got to his feet and moved to the other side of Buffy and gently took hold of her, picking her up off the floor. Ethan followed them as Spike carried her to the bedroom, her words mixed together with others she kept saying, her confusion worse than it was before.

They entered the darkened room and Spike immediately put her on the bed, her eyes half open as she looked up at him "Please forgive me, oh please…" she kept saying over and over again. Spike looked at her as she looked at him sadly, he didn't know what to say, saying it wasn't her or her fault for Hunts action was already proven to bring out his extremely dark nature that was now within her.

"O-oh course I do luv, always." He said to her as he sat over her. Buffy touched his face with her hand, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. Ethan quickly injected her with a sedative, "It'll take effect soon." He said, leaving them alone and out of the room.

"S-spike, I…I love you." She said before her eyes closed and her head dropped down onto the pillow. Spike looked at her for a few minutes, gently stroking her hair as she breathed comfortably. He leaned in and kissed her forehead gently "I love you to Buffy." He said before quietly leaving the room.

He exited to see them all waiting in silence, Xander sitting on the sofa with Anya bringing him a cold wash cloth for the bruising on his neck. "Is she…?" Methos began, but Spike knew what he was going to say "She's sleeping now, I just hope she'll be better in the morning." He said before walking to the kitchen for a drink.

"This is bad, what do we do about this? It's not a demon or anything, its her state of mind." Amanda asked, worried about Buffy as she paced the room with Giles still at the window. No one had really known what to do, not even Duncan who had gone through a similar experience knew what to do.

"Duncan? What happens after a quickening?" Winifred asked, she had been silent for most of this event, and now had an idea. Duncan shrugged as he walked near her with Angel sitting next to her "Uh, well, it sinks in, we get a hold of the changes and what he have now that we didn't before, we adjust and in awhile, its as it always is. Its like we can separate it automatically from 'us'." He said.

Winifred lowered her head slightly, biting her lower lip "But that isn't what's going on with Buffy though, right?" she asked, Duncan simply nodded to her question. Winifred raised her head once more, no longer looking nervous "Then that's what we have to help her do. Hunts quickening isn't like others, so it's not like a normal one, it's not like what you've gone through." She said, standing up and walking away "We should be doing that instead of having a whole damned lecture about it!" she snapped as she walked into the kitchen after Spike.

They heard hr screaming after "Give me a damned drink!" which made them all jump slightly. Angel stood up quickly from the couch and ran after her.

He turned the corner to see her downing a glass of vodka. "Fred! Stop!" he said, taking the empty glass from her, Spike was leaning on the counter looking on in silence with a small smirk on his face. 

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, holding her by her lower arms, her eyes looking up at him as she looked shy and sad. "Angel, it gets me so angry! The fact that you're all just talking over what's wrong with her when the answer is staring you all right in the face! Why can't people just stop trying to psycho-analyze everything and try and do something to help, it's not all just about throwing a fist and that's it, all's well! It's also about doing it in a way that no one ever does it, with comfort and words!" she said, speaking so quickly that she was almost to the point of passing out.

Angel looked at her in silence, she did have a point, so little did he or any of them try to help a person in a non-combative way, it was always the easier way to use a fist instead of your emotions and words. He looked at her as she was on the edge of tears "So often when I was little, people always talked about me in a mean way, and nobody ever tried to help me like that, to just talk, help me get through it or just plain listen!" she said as a few tears began to run down her cheeks.

Angel shook his head as he pulled her in and held her tightly. Spike suddenly felt it was his cue to leave as he moved away from the counter "I think that's my sign to bugger off." He said as he walked out of the kitchen. Angel gave him a small scowl for not leaving sooner, but shrugged it off quickly as he held Winifred closely.

"I know you two were involved awhile ago, and I know you still care for her a whole lot, and I don't want you to loose that, because I know it would tear you apart. I see the way you look at her and you care a lot." She said. Angel shook his head a she pulled her away a little, looking at her tear strained eyes "Winifred, I…Care about her yes, and I'd do anything to help her just like anyone else I care about. What her and I had is…history, and that's all it is now." 

he wiped the tears from her face as she looked up to him in her usual innocent way "Winifred, I care a lot about you now, more than I probably should. I love you." He said shyly as she moved about a little shy himself now.

Winifred smiled as she moved away and pour a new glass of Vodka, and then a second glass. She walked back to him and handed him the second glass "Care for a drink?" she asked. Angel smiled as he took the glass. Winifred held hers up and smiled lightly "To our friends, let's always be there for them." She said somberly.

Angel brought his up "To care and love." He said as he tapped his glass to hers and they drank their drinks in one shot. Angel lowered his glass and looked at her without a trace of the effects of the strong alcohol. Winifred lowered hers and coughed from the strong vapor feeling it gave as it washed down her throat.

Faith walked into the kitchen and opened the freezer, taking a rack of ice and a face cloth, she smiled as she saw the glasses and open bottle of vodka "Hey, no funny stuff now, makes him annoying." She joked. Angel smiled and shook his head silently as Winifred caught her breath and patter her chest "Yeah, I know. But that'll change someday." She said "And I'll be here when it does." She added in a whisper.

"How's Catherine's face?" Angel asked a she saw Faith putting the ice on the cloth and wrapping it into a cold ball. "Well, I'll say this, she's tougher than she looks." She said as she turned to them with a grin and leaning on the counter. Angel left to the others as Winifred stayed back and talked to Faith "You really…'like' her don't you?" Winifred asked with a smile.

Faith suddenly tensed as she stood up all her own from the counter "Uh, y-yeah, she's a great friend." She said, sounding a little too hesitant. Winifred looked at her with a sweet smile "Come on, I saw how you two looked at each other a lot of times since a few nights ago, you two like each other!" she said in a cheerful tone. Faith waved her hands in the air with a smile "Ok, so we like each other a lot and had sex, so what?" she confessed.

Winifred looked at her in shock "S-sex? Oh! Uh, I wasn't asking about that…whoa." She said as she breathed heavily a little and fidgeted a little. She smiled as she turned around and yelled out "Hey Gunn! I wont that bet!" she said. Faith's ja dropped in surprise as she started to laugh in a type of shock "Oh! Gunn! Get over here!" she yelled as she rushed out of the kitchen and began to try and tackle Gunn.

Spike watched as he walked over to Giles at the window, still being silent and watching the scene below "You ought to stop that, people are going to start wondering about you." He said jokingly. Giles shook his head and glared over at him "Don't start now Spike." He growled.

Spike took no offense to it and leaned on the ledge with him, looking out to the streets "You don't think I don't feel as bad about this as you do? Well I bloody well do Rupert." Spike said as he began to get personal with the watcher. Giles looked up at him and shook his head "I know, I just can't stand being here while my…she's in there suffering." He said. 

"I know you see her as your daughter Giles, and I wouldn't take it any other way than that." Spike said. Giles gave Spike a grin as he nodded to him "You've come a long way." He said. Spike nodded as he leaned on the ledge fully as Giles and looked down to the street "Yeah, so we all have. Oh, this is just neat! You can see everything!" Spike said, suddenly smiling as he saw literally everything around the building.

"Oh yes, check her out down there." Giles said pointing to an attractive woman on the corner being treated for a hurt arm. Spike shook his head "Rupert, I had no idea." He said, patting him over the shoulder.

"Here, how's that feel?" Faith asked, pressing the ice over the large bruise on Catherine's face. "Better, thanks Faith." She said, taking hold of the ice pack, but Faith interjected "You let me take care of you, just sit back and relax." She said with a smile. Catherine smiled as she rested her head to the side and looking at Faith tending to her "Thank you." She whispered.

"See, I told you." Gunn said as he sat Down next to Wesley. "Gunn, please, give them at least some respect. I'm sure that they're very much in love, it isn't just sexual!" Wesley said, trying to defend the two lovers. Faith winked at Catherine as Catherine smiled, wondering what she was gonna do now.

"Oh please Wes, would you all get out? We just wanna do it!" Faith said as she got over top of Catherine, straddling her while looking back at them with a sultry smile. Wesley shook his head as he crossed his arms in discomfort "Good lord." He mumbled as Gunn was laughing at him. Faith got off of Catherine when she pushed her off playfully as she was laughing too.

It was a good moment, they knew that times like these when they would all be together like this would be rare, and that things would be getting tough after today. They found Willow and Tara staring at them with wide eyes "Faith?" Willow said softly as she was at a sudden loss for words. Faith shrugged and smiled "Yeah, look at me going dyke-a-dellic." She said while smiling back at Catherine who was looking rather comfortable next to her.

"Oh, well, we sure didn't see that coming now did we Tara?" Willow said with Tara shaking her head with a surprised look on her face too "But it's good! We're happy! See? Happy face wiccans!" Willow said as she pointed to her sudden smile across her lips as well as Taras smile and nod.

Faith let her head fall back as she was feeling a little shock, happy and relieved at the same time "Thanks." She said as she looked back at them. 

"Is it just me or a lot of people going gay lately?" Anya said with her usual nostalgic self. She turned and pointed at Xander "You better not go gay on me either mister!" she said with a stern voice. Xander looked at her by the corner of his eye and put the drying wash cloth on his knee.

"Anya honey, the day I turn gay is when…I get reincarnated into a dildo and bought by a fag, no offense." He said with sarcasm and apology for his choice of words to the two all female couples in the room. Gunn and Wesley began to chuckle as they couldn't help themselves "You're alright Xander." Gunn said nodding at him.

Wesley looked around the room as were Duncan and Amanda not far from them "What are Angel and Winifred doing in there?" he asked aloud as he noticed they were away in the kitchen for awhile now. "And what about Methos and Cordellia?" 

Wesley and the others knew that Joe and Loren were in the bar, talking music apparently, Dawn was lying next to Xander and Anya on the sofa sleeping finally, and for all they knew Angel and Winifred were making out in the kitchen! "Yeah, they took off after Buffy went to sleep again." Anya said, searching the room.

"Oh jeez, I bet they're off making out too, why not, everyone here is!" Xander said with his all known sarcasm "Is this an episode of Love Boat or what? What's up with everyone?" he asked, slightly upset over the fact that most of everyone was of somewhere while Buffy was in her current condition.

"Relax Xander, right now we can't do anything for Buffy but wait, just enjoy this moment, who knows when another like it will come again." Amanda said, leaning against Duncan comfortably. Xander nodded silently as he remained that way for awhile. Anya turned to them and smiled "Sorry about Xander, Buffy and him are like brother and sister, he cares about her a lot, always will." She said, gently playing with a loch of his hair, looking at him now.

For the rest of the time, they just talked, talked about the times before Buffy walked into their lives, about the things they went through, people they knew that came and gone and sometimes walked back into their lives. And deep down at the center of it, all they really wanted was Buffy to be well again.

"I can remember one of the first things I said to her, I said I would kill to be living in LA, all those shoes." Cordellia said with a light huff of a laugh. Methos sat next to her as they looked out to the clear nights sky, the view from the roof top was very lovely. 

Cordellia followed Methos when he tried to quietly sneak away, when she confronted him on the rooftop they got to talking, and they found they enjoyed each others company. "Now I think about it and hate the way I was back then kinda, I was so vain, always trying to catch the cutest guy, or be the prettiest and the most attractive girl." She said, shaking her head, realizing how far she had come.

"Sure, I'm still way into clothes and things like that, but…" she continued, but Methos had cut her off in a kind of polite and charming way "But your more concerned with the world around you now." he said. Cordellia nodded with a smile "Yeah, exactly." She said softly.

"In the past few years, I've seen, been through things that really made me think, lost someone I…loved. I lost him just when I found out who he was, and that he had been crazy about me from the first time we met." She said, looking down to her feet, feeling the sorrow again from the memory.

"Who was he?" Methos asked, his hands on his knees, looking at her closely. Cordellia looked over to him and shrugged "Doyle, he was half human and half demon. I always find myself feeling guilty over the fact that I didn't apologize for these remarks about how disgusting demons were, back when I was still so self absorbed." She said.

"And now Buffy is like this, half out of her mind and…I haven't even taken the time to tell her I'm sorry for some things I said when we were younger. It's funny, I always thought that it would be one of us to end up in her situation, and she'd always be there to…make it better."

Cordellia leaned over and rested her head on Methos' shoulder, looking out to the night sky. "Cordellia, I've learned a few things in my long life. What I know to tell you is that even those who are sworn to protect, are human. And Buffy is human, one of the most human people I've met these days." He said, looking out to the sky as well.

Cordellia looked up at him, seeing his eyes, it was so hard for her to image living for as long as he had, or even be as old as he is when he looked so handsome and young. "Tell me about your life Methos." Cordellia asked, still looking up at him as she huddled closer to him, her arm around his waist. Even though she just met him a short time ago, she felt comfortable around him.

"I was born…a long time ago, I can't even remember the year anymore, or where because the words no longer exist. But it was a hard life for me, growing up. I lived off of scraps on caravans in the desert, I was lucky to survive at all." He said, looking down at her finally '_she's so beautiful.'_ He thought to himself as he thought of where to go next in his story "When I was a young man, I met a woman, and I instant fell in love with her, and she loved me just as much."

"She was a slayer," he said. Cordellia looked at him more intensely as she kept giving him her total attention "For five years we traveled together, lived well and saw things that some shouldn't ever see, and some that made us feel so alive." Methos did forget some things about his life that long ago, but some things he could never forget if he tried "One day we died, stopping an apocalypse. I always thought that even in death we'd be together. But then I awoke, immortal with her lying dead in my arms, her blood all over me."

Cordellia tightened her hold on him, reaching her arm around his neck gently "I drove me mad with grief, and brought out the worst in me, for I became death, the worst of the four horsemen of the apocalypse." He admitted, his one greatest sin and regret in his life. He didn't know why he told her it, but he did, something about her wanted to make him talk to her, something he hadn't seen in so very long.

"Cordellia raised her head and still kept her hold on him "Y-you were…death? They really existed?" she asked, slightly shocked that such a man as kind and caring as him was such a person in any life. Methos nodded "Yes, we were immortals." He said.

"Almost four years ago, we came together again, our leader Kronos reassembled us to begin our old ways once more. I went along with him only to help Duncan stop him. And he did win." He said "I, uh, rather not talk about me for a little while now if you don't mind." He asked, shaking his head as he rubbed his eyes.

Cordellia nodded "It's ok, I'm sorry." She said, feeling guilty for reopening a box of memories that he must have wished to remain closed. "No, it's alright, you did ask." He said, resting his head back against the border ledge of the rooftop.

Cordellia took his chin gently and turned his head to face hers "I learned from Angel that…who you were doesn't matter, who you are now does." She said.

Methos looked at her, '_she's wise too.'_ He thought to himself again. He smiled at her as he slowly blinked "Thank you, such wisdom is rare in this world to…" he was cut off this time by Cordellia who moved up and sealed her lips to his. Methos was shocked a little as she caught him off guard by her advance.

She ended the kiss and looked at him, smiling shyly waiting for a response from him for her action just now. Methos found himself at a loss for words, so he did the only thing he really wanted to do, he returned her affection, taking a gentle touch of the nape of her neck he leaned in close to her. Once more their lips met.

****

End Part 7

Authors note: Ok everyone, the next part it the epilogue. And so you know now, I'm going to be doing sequels to this. The next series will be crossing over with different movies, each part will be a different crossover.

I chose a few movies so far to begin with, here they are: **The Green Mile, Run Lola Run (A foreign movie, VERY good), The 6th Day, AKIRA (manga, best ever.) **and that's it so far, I'm stil thinking and considering others as well, I want to get 4 or 5 more. So if you have any suggestions, do share them will you? J 

And of course I have a third sequel too, but that comes to tell after the next series J 

On another note, I wish to say my condolences to those who lost family in the Trade Center terrorist strike. I've been rather on edge and hearing talk about war. But I hope that those who died and those who lost family find peace, and that those who survived find a calm they once had.

May they rest in peace.


	8. Crimes not our own - Epilogue

Strength and Honor
    
    Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, they belong to those who own them. Only Catherine Tyler belongs to me so if you ever want to use her in a story, you sure have to ask me. 

Note: Ok, this is the last chapter on this story, but the sequels will be following right behind it

****

Strength and Honor

Part 8 – Epilogue

By: Marcus

Buffy sat cross-legged on her bed, her pencil in one hand and her notebook in the other, her hand moving quickly with precision as she wrote her thoughts down, but her thoughts weren't totally hers from her current perspective.

__

~ These images keep flooding my mind, terrible things, and sometimes I see glorious things, beautiful things. But in the end it's always some atrocious horror that I've…they say that it wasn't me, and I wish I could believe it, but I committed these acts, I know it.

They try so hard to help me, and I love them all the more for it, they're more than just my friends, they're all the family I have left aside from Dawn and dad these days…considering dad, Dawn's the last blood family I have left actually. Dad didn't even come to my funeral, let alone try and help Dawn out while I was gone.

Now it's been three months since me quickening, I've learned from Angel to control my new violent tendencies, thank god. I'm still reeling from when I choked Xander and backhanded Catherine across the face. They say that all quickenings aren't like the one I had, mine was far different, totally one of a kind and that it won't happen to me again. __

I honestly don't care, not one bit that if one of two quickenings like this exist in this screwed up world. What I do care about is who carries them, I feel like there is some memories in my head that know what I write is true, others like Hunt might exist.

God help those who either fall in their path or take their heads.

Bu the crimes still make me cry at night, I don't let William see them, or anyone else, I won't have that, not on bit. My guilt is my own, they would think so differently of me if they saw what I see, they would take my head in a heartbeat. I know that's not true, just fear talking.

But I know that I can't let them use up all their time in just trying to help me when they can't help me, I know that would do anything to help me, that's true, and they would hel me for as long as it took as would I for any of them.

What I have to do now will be…hard for them, and for me. I just hope they can forgive me for it. ~

Buffy stopped writing as she read the pages she had just filled with her thoughts. She closed the book and placed it at the front of her, leaning down on her knees as she still contemplated what she was going to do. She got up off the bed after a few minutes and walked over to the closet, she walked a little slow, feeling tired still from what the others had done for her last night, a party.

'_A party, oh boy._' She thought to herself, remembering the night, she did enjoy herself, they tried to throw her a good time, but deep down she was screaming to get away for a little.

__

Powers That Be Club (Downstairs)

"No, let's do something more easier going for her, doing party after party won't help." Methos said to Faith as he served a customer his drink and walked back over to her. Faith sighed as she tapped her palms on the bar in a rhythmic fashion "Yeah, sorry old man, I'm just a partying kind of girl I guess. What's your idea?" she asked.

Methos gave her a stare for a moment, he hated what Faith called him lately, and her need for nicknames had given him the name 'Old Man' now. He shook it off and smiled as he got the requests of another customer "Well, the way I see it, I've been wanting to try and teach her some meditation techniques, they do help for such situations as hers." He said, handing the beer to the customer and receiving the money for it.

Faith looked at him with a dulled expression "Meditation? C'mon old man, we're trying to help her, not kill her with total boredom." She said. Methos shook his head "If only you know the advantages of it, you would do it yourself kid." He said. Faiths expression turned to shock as she stood up on the bars of her stool "Who you calling 'Kid'?" she asked in a funny type of tone that sounded like giggles being held back.

Methos smiled as he went to washing the few glasses that were in the small sink by them. They looked to the stage as they saw Joe on there with his guitar while sitting on a stool as he played the blues, mainly something with a little more kick than his usual style. "Is Joe playing…ZZ Top?" Methos asked, nearly dropping his glass as he and Faith stared on. Faith had a more of a small dance going on in her seat as she liked what Joe was playing.

The song soon ended as people clapped at his talents, he stood up and smiled with a bow as he slowly walked off the stage and to the bar. Faith clapped as Methos shook his head with a dumbfounded look on his face "Joe, I thought I'd never see the day." He said as he just stood there.

Faith patted him on the shoulder as he took a seat next to her "Hey, I can't go a little loose sometimes?" he asked as Methos put the last of the glasses away on the shelve behind him. "Yes you can, but if you start singing the song 'Who Let the Dogs Out' I'm taking your head." He said as he smiled sheepishly and walked to the other end of the bar.

Faith giggled as she had an image of Joe in the music video. Joe shook his head as he sighed at Methos "Old people." He said with a grin. 

He turned to Faith who leaned forward on the bar "So, where's Catherine? I thought she was working today?" Joe asked, looking around the club. Faith smiled as she thought of the other brunette slayer "Oh, she's gone out on a few errands, we…want to get an apartment." She said. Joe looked at her in surprise.

"Wow, already? I mean, that's great too." He said. Faith shrugged as she kept smiling "Well, when you're a slayer, you never know when one day could be your last so we really don't want to take too much time with some things." She said gingerly "I mean, I know we just met and what started off really turned into something, so why fight it right? We just want to go with it." 

Joe nodded his head with a smile "Well, I'm happy for the both of you." He said, tapping her shoulder "So, you're gonna need some furniture?" he asked, going to help her out with things if he had too. Faith nodded "Yeah, Willow and Tara as giving us their sofa." She said. Joe raised his eye brows and nodded "Cool, but I thought they couldn't afford some new stuff just yet?" he asked.

Faith suddenly looked tense as she looked around the room "Well, uh…they kinda found out about our first time." She said "On their sofa." She added with a cringe of extreme shyness. Joe closed his eyes and raised his hand "I didn't need to know that." He said.

"Hey all, what's up?" Xander asked as he walked up behind them. Both looked up and smiled at him "Oh nothing much, just hearing stuff that my heart can't take." Joe said as he went to get a large drink from Methos. Xander too Joes seat as he sat next to Faith "What's up?" he asked, his hands together, feeling a little tense around her.

Faith felt relatively the same way, as she kind of bundled herself up. She nodded "I'm five by five." She said with a weak smiled. Both sat as an uncomfortable silence overtook them. "We have to talk." Xander finally said as he totally turned to face her, Faith did as well nodding her head "Yeah, we should." She said immediately after he spoke.

"Look, Xander, I never said I was sorry for that night when you and…me…you know." She said, putting her hands together in a sense repeatedly as she looked really nervous. Xander raised his hand "Hey, it's cool, we all got regrets, besides, it was pretty…good." He said, trying to help this odd situation.

Faith smiled shyly as she moved a strand of hair around her ear "Thanks…but I'm sorry that I tossed ya out after like that." She said. Xander nodded "Your apology is quite accepted, shake?" he said, holding out his hand to her. Faith smiled as she took his hand and they shook on the newness of a friendship.

"Hey, my Xander!" Anya proclaimed as she ran up and took a tight hug on Xander, Faith smiled as she let go of Xanders hand and let them go straight to the kissing as they usually did. "So what's up for this evening?" Faith asked "Aside from totally abandoning us to the bedroom." She joked. Anya looked away in surprise as Xander gave her a mock smile "Funny! How about a night out? Something to eat, walk around, kill a few things, talk?" he asked.

Faith nodded "I'm all for the slaying, but I'm not sure if that's something she ought to be doing right now." Faith said, worried again about their friends new tendency for extreme violence that even Faith couldn't match back in her old days. Xander nodded "Good point, how about we exclude that slaying part for now." he said, Anya nodding in agreement.

"Let's go find Angel and his group, see what they think." Anya asked as she pulled at Xander and Faiths collars. "Ack!" they gagged as they were yanked quickly from the seats without warning.

Angel was on the upper level with Gunn and Wesley, talking stuff about heading home sooner or later, their problems couldn't stay on hold forever, but they were left with the personal conflict of leaving Buffy while she was in her current state. "We can't just take off and leave her." Angel said, sitting back in his seat looking depressed as he sometimes did.

Wesley nodded his head, looking at him with an authoritative look "I understand that Angel, But the others are just as capable to help her as we are able to, and Wolfram and Hart will be on our case eventually if we stay here, and Buffy surely doesn't need that right now." Wesley said with just as much concern for her and their situation.

Angel nodded his head, Wesley was right, they had to go back to LA soon "Alright then, we leave at the end of this week right?" he asked. Wesley nodded as Gunn remained the silent person in this conversation.

Angel sighed, he hated the plan, but it had to be done, their time here was at an end for now "So, who's gonna tell Cordellia? You know she's going to be hesitant to go like me." He asked. Wesley nodded as he slouched in his seat, he knew that Methos and she had rather gotten attached to each other in the past few months.

__

The Magic Box

Giles was finishing up the inventory for the day, he was getting ready to close up the shop when he heard the ell at the door ring "I'm sorry, we're about to close." He said, turning around to find Catherine standing at the door with tattered clothes and blood all over her body.

"H-help." She said weakly as she tried to walk towards him, but her strength all but diminished as she collapsed to the floor. Giles ran towards her as fast as he could, he kneeled beside her, checking her pulse, it was strong, but weak as well for a slayer "Dear god." He whispered as he picked her up and walked back out the door to his car.

Soon after, all that was heard in the empty shop were the sounds of tires screeching as Giles sped off towards the hospital.

__

An hour later

"Where is she?" Faith asked as she burst into the emergency room with Xander and Anya with her, Giles was standing in the middle of the waiting room pacing back and forth. He struggled to hold her back as she tried to blow past him and into the operating room.

"Faith, stop!" Giles said as he and the others struggled to hold her back. "She's in surgery Faith, she took an immense beating." He said "And running in there won't help her right now." he added. Faith stopped struggling with them and stared at the closed doors, she could just see Catherine through the window of it asleep with Doctors around her, trying to save her.

"What happened?" she growled as she looked up at Giles. Giles shrugged "I'm not sure, she was mumbling something about the renegades while I drove her here." He said, removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Faith glared at him as she began to feel more and more enraged over this. 

"Some of them might have gotten away and came back after Catherine for what happened to Hunt." Xander said, running a hand through his hair as Anya came up beside Faith and put a hand on her shoulder "She'll be ok, she's strong." She said as she led her to a seat.

Just then Wesley, Duncan and Spike ran into the room asking what had happened. Giles calmed them down as he told them what happened, and who she said was responsible. "Then they pay for it." They heard from the doors. They looked around to see Buffy standing there, looking at them blankly.

"What?" Giles asked, walking up to her. Buffy looked up at her "They'll come back to finish her off, I'll be here when they do." She said, tapping her coat where her sword was hidden underneath. Giles shook his head but her glare kept him silent.

"Buffy, you shouldn't fight right now, you're…" Duncan began, but Buffy's head snapped towards him, staring at him "Be…quiet." She hissed as she had already made her decision.

__

Midnight, Recovery room

Faith slept as she lay next to Catherine on the hospital bed. Catherine hadn't yet regain consciousness, but Faith had been talking to her anyway, hoping she would open her eyes and smile at her. She hadn't seen Buffy since earlier in the waiting room after she left, it was scary to her how much her personality would suddenly change sometimes.

She now slept closely next to Catherine, sleep had taken her an hour before, and she rested uncomfortably, but didn't seem to care as she was determined not to leave Catherine's side until they walked out of the hospital together.

But in her sleep she couldn't hear the door opening or the sounds of footsteps as unknown people entered the room quietly. These people wore black as they stood around the bed, all that were left of the renegades, six men.

"Kill them both." One said. As told to, one man reached into his coat and removed a short sword, he raised it over his head, preparing to kill the hospitalized slayer.

Just as they were about to wreak their vengeance on the just, the lights turned on. "What?" the leader of this group said as they turned to the door. They saw the slayer they dreaded standing there, her sword in her hand as she glared at them "Cowards." She whispered as she bolted towards them. The men had no chance as they were level to the ground in a heartbeat.

They did get back to their feet, pulling out their swords quickly as they turned to Buffy. Faith's eyes fluttered open and widened as she saw the six men and Buffy at the end of the room with her sword ready. "Fuck that." She growled as she took an empty I.V. holder and swung it at the head of the closest man to him.

He doubled over stunned as he fell tot he ground, Faith still beating him mercilessly with the long, piece of metal. The others turned to take care of Faith as they tried to swing their swords at her, But they hadn't Forgotten about Buffy either as two of them remained trained on the first slayer.

Buffy curled her middle finger at them with a scowl at them "Get over here!" she yelled as she ran towards them with a scream of near insanity. Her sword thrashed at theirs, sending them back with all the force she put into her attack.

Faith had stopped beating the one man and was now trying to defend Catherine against the other three that were attacking her with swords. She used the long metal to defend her and Catherine from the sharp blades. Faith saw an opening in their defense and jabbed the pole into the face of one of them, then as she took one out, the others fell too, their defenses opening to her easily.

But they had to get back up, scowling at her. Faith looked at her, she didn't know if she could beat them at these odds. Just as if an answer to a prayer, two of the men that were attacking Buffy flew and collided with two of the others attacking Faith. Faith smiled as she caught the third before her off guard and swung the pole as hard as she could. She felt the connection as a loud crack could be heard as it bounced off his head.

Faith smiled until she noticed blood running from the two that Buffy had thrown her way, her eyes probed carefully as she scanned their bodies, her chests had wide, open gashes along their torsos. She looked up to Buffy who stood there, staring at them with blood spattered all over her face and clothes.

"B-Buffy…what have you done?" she asked, pointing at them. Buffy remained silent, staring at the remaining men as she walked up to them and pulled out a dagger, not the one Amanda had given her, this one looked frightening with the curving of its blades.

"Buffy…" Faith said as she saw Buffy kneel by one of the men still alive who had regained consciousness and looked up at her, he looked in terror as she growled at him "Die." She hissed as she rapidly brought up her blade and repeatedly began to stab him in the face and chest long after he stopped screaming.

Faith covered her mouth with both hands as she watched with shocked and wide eyes as Buffy moved on to the others, it terrified her how she was actually murdering them purposely. She watched still as their blood flew all over the room, on Faith, on the walls, and all over Buffy.

"Stop!" Faith cried finally, her being covered in blood as she backed away from her friend. Buffy had her head lowered, her blood red hair now hung over her shoulders and face covered. And to Faiths shock she listened as Buffy began to laugh. 

Buffy raised her head as she looked up at Faith, her skin red with crimson life as she stared at her with a frightening smile on her face "Only the strong survive." She whispered. Buffy stood up and began to walk over to Faith and Catherine with the dagger still in her hand. Faith brought up the metal pole as she looked over her shoulder to Catherine who was beginning to moan as her eyes began t move and slowly open.

She looked back to Buffy who was less than four feet away and still walking to her "Stay the fuck away from us!" she said as she held the pipe up. Buffy grinned with such evil that Faith knew something wasn't right, this couldn't be Buffy. "Die." Buffy whispered as she suddenly and quickly brought up her dagger and rushed for Faith and Catherine.

"NO!" Faith screamed as she closed her eyes and swung for Buffy's head. She felt the familiar thump in the pole as she heard the cracking sound. She opened her eyes to see Buffy staggering back with her eyes tightly shut and grabbing her head. She leaned against the wall as she slowly opened her eyes once more, looking at Faith and her terrified expression.

"F-Faith? Wha?" she asked as she suddenly noticed the bodies all over the room as if she had seen them for the first time. She suddenly looked all over the room in a panic, breathing heavily as she looked at the twisted and horrifying way the bodies were sliced up.

She tried to walk to Faith, her had stretched out, but Faith brought her pole up once more "Stay the fuck back!" she yelled as she looked at her in fear.

"What?" Buffy asked in confusion as she looked at her own body. The sight of her made her heart race even more, her memory clearing as she remembered what just happened "N-no! NO!!!" she screamed as she looked at her blood covered hands and all over the place.

Buffy looked around the bloody room as she continued to scream frantically. Faith kept her eyes trained on her as she was confused as to what was going on. Buffy cried as she shook her head, running her hands through her already blood red hair "I did it, I did it all! I'm a monster!" she screamed as she ran from the room and stumbled on the floor as she ran for the stairs, vanishing from the hospital all together.

Giles awoke to the sound of the phone ringing, he opened the lamp and picked up the phone "Bloody hell, who is this?" he asked, angry for being awaken from his peaceful sleep.

"Oh god Giles, she killed them, she KILLED THEM!" he heard on the other end from a frantic and terrified voice. Giles sat up in his seat as he was now fully awake "Faith? What are you saying? Who killed who?" he asked, trying to calm her down a little.

"Buffy! She killed them all, oh god, she almost killed Catherine and me too!" Faith said, crying and breathing heavily over the phone. Giles shook his head, Buffy? A killer? I can't be so.

"Faith, where is she now?" he asked urgently. All he heard were cries of tears as she tried to form words "I-I…" she tried to speak, but no words came.

Gilles nodded as he shook his head "It's ok Faith, I'm calling the others, we'll be there shortly." He said. He put the phone down as he contemplated what to do, he doubted that calling the police would be a wise choice as they would get involved in Slayer and Immortal affairs. He dialed the number for Joe and Ethan knowing that they would have an expertise in this area.

__

The Sunnydale Hospital

"My god, thank god no nurses were here at the time this happened." Joe said as he looked at both slayer and immortal watchers cleaning up and covering the dead bodies of the shredded and mangled renegades. Ethan covered his mouth with a cloth as he breathed slowly, the sight was unlike anything he ever saw.

Giles was out in the hall with Faith, the watchers had moved Catherine into the hall as they cleaned the mess in the room. "Oh god, oh god, oh god…" Faith kept mumbling to herself as the events were seared into her mind. Giles came up to her with a cup of coffee and sat next to her in the seat "Tell me everything that happened Faith, slowly and calmly." He asked, trying to figure out what happened and trying to keep her calm as he could at the same time.

Faith took a sip o the coffee as she kept her eyes straight forward, thinking "I woke when I heard yelling and people falling on the ground with a thump. I saw Buffy going against six of them. Three of them turned to me as the others went to her, one was already on the floor out cold. I took one of them out as Buffy eventually tossed the two on her into two of my guys. I thought that they were just out cold until I saw the blood pouring out of them."

She took a deep breath as she began remembering the horror that Buffy showed her "I-I looked up and she was spattered with blood. She walked over to the remaining renegades and pulled out a dagger as one was waking up, she said 'Only the strong survive' and started….oh god BUFFY!" she said, remembering the acts and burst into tears.

Giles wrapped an arm around her as she wept terribly "S-she said that and then murdered them all, stabbing them in the face and chest, cutting them open. Them she came after us, I…hot her over the head with the pole and its like she woke up, not knowing what was going on, and then she must have remembered 'cause she started to scream and look at herself. She said she was a monster and ran away in a blind panic." she said through her sobs.

Giles hugged her tightly and gave a kiss on the forehead "It's alright now, your both alive." He said "I'll be right back, I have to talk to Ethan and Joe about what you've just told me." He said, slowly leaving her side. Faith sat in her seat sipping her coffee with her hands shaking hard.

"F-faith?" she heard weakly from across the hall. She looked up to see Catherine looking at her as she lay on the bed. Faiths eyes widened as she bolted form the seat and to her side "Oh your awake!" she said as she took hold of her hand, Faith cried as she brought her lips to Catherine's and kissed her gently for a long moment.

Faith leaned back to smile weakly as she cried. Catherine brought her hand up to Faiths cheek and wiped a tear away "I know what happened, I heard it happen, I listened as you protected me and almost got killed." She said weakly, barely a whisper as she smiled at Faith weakly.

Faith nodded as she held onto Catherine's other hand tightly "Oh god I couldn't believe it…I…" she tried to find words, but Catherine's finger pressed against her lips "Shush now. It's going to be ok, we'll be ok alright?" she said to her. Faith leaned over her, gently brushing her face free of stray hair.

"Oh god I love you." Faith confessed to her as she cried softly. Catherine smiled as she wiped away another tear "I love you too, always will." She said. Faith smiled weakly as her eyebrows curved upwards as she cried softly still, she lowered her head again as she kissed her love once more.

__

Buffy's Loft

Willow opened the door quickly to her friends home as they all flooded into the loft. They had searched all over town and decided to check back here again for Buffy, Joe had called them and told them the story of what happened at the hospital, to say the least they were shocked and horrified. 

Right now it was Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya and Dawn who searched the room, the others were still around town looking for her. "Where is she? It's been over two hours since it happened." Xander asked aloud in general as they searched the upper part of the loft and the rooms on the main floor.

"Guys, in here." Anya said, standing in the doorway to Buffy's room. They all gathered there to find a pair of bloodied clothes on the floor and other clothes tossed around the room. 

"The bathrooms a mess to, its red all in the shower." Spike said, sneaking up on them. They all turned around in a jump as they caught their wits. "I found this here too." He said as he handed them a folder.

Willow took the folder and opened it, it was full of contracts and other paper work. She found a note addressed to all of them on the opened flap of it, she took the note carefully and read it. After a minute she put it back in the folder and looked at them all "Go find everyone and bring them here, I know why we can't find her."

__

30 Minutes Later at the Club

Willow sat cross legged at the table as the others walked into the club, sitting around her as she sat at the table with the folder open in front of her.

"Ok…this was left behind by Buffy, it's a note and property claims that she's leaving to us." She said. Everyone looked around to one another and to her, Willow took out the note and began to read.

~ Everyone, __

I'm leaving, don't try to find me, I have to atone for the things I've done, and I have to try and overcome this part of me that I can't control. I almost killed Faith and Catherine earlier when I murdered those men, I can't bear it if any of you were to fall before my…darkness.

Willow, I've enclosed everything you'll need to care for the club, it belongs to you now, my home is yours and Taras. I've given certain stocks that Joe and Duncan helped set up for me, there's enough for everyone that will help them for a long time to come.

Xander and Anya: I'm sorry big brother, but I can't be there for your wedding to come, I know you and Anya are engaged and all, but you have what love I have to give and best wishes. 

Willow and Tara: Willow, you've been the closest person I've had as a sister like Dawn, I'm sorry I can't be there to talk and try and help you with stuff that gets on your nerves now. Tara, while I only met you less than two years ago, you've been a good a friend as Willow, take care of each other, my love to you both.

Giles and Dawn: Giles, you've been more of a father to me than my own was, and I always wished I could call you 'father' so many times, but I was so afraid, afraid that it'd ruin what we had. But now, I can't call you that ever for I'm no longer who you learned to love in that way. Dawn, my little sweet sister, I know that you of all people can find me in a heartbeat, don't, I couldn't bear it if you died at my hands. You two are my family, I love you both so much.

Spike (William): When I first met you I though you were just some other vampire who came along. But soon after you were one hell of an enemy. Over the past few years you've become more than I ever imagined. I never imaging that I'd fall in love with you, and I still do love you. Keep your promise to me, to protect Dawn, protect them all now, even if it's from me. I love you.

Angel: Angel, I write this to your group. I wish I could have taken the time to know you better since you left Sunnydale to LA, I wish I could have watched you and Cordellia change for the better in ways I would have never guessed, I'm proud of how far you've all come. 

Gunn, Wesley, Winifred and Loren, you four are their good friends, you aid and speed them on their way as you stand along side them, watch over for them while they can't do it themselves. You're amazing people, you have the courage to live in this world, to watch over others who don't care. Yet you do, because its something that has to be done. Keep up the good fight, and watch over them.

Duncan, Amanda, Methos and Joe: You four, I'm glad you found me, and that I met you. When you found me Duncan, I thought I was going to hell, and you brought me to heaven with life once more. Amanda, you taught me that sometimes that…doing the wrong things can be a good thing in the way you do it. Methos, I've never met a soul more…human than yours, I hope we meet one day, but if it comes to it, I want YOU to take my head.

Joe, oh Joe. You've given me so much in my life this year, a bar, business and a life to live. But the most important thing you've given me was…your friendship. Until we meet again my friend.

Ethan: You're a pain in the ass, I'll say that, but you've been a good ally in my life of a slayer, and for that I'll always look to you for help

I love you all…goodbye.

Buffy

Willow out the letter down and leaned back in her seat, she remained silent as she stared at the note before her. Everyone kept silent.

"I'm not going to fulfill her request." Methos said suddenly, keeping his eyes trained at the note before Willow. Everyone looked at him "What request? Her head?" Xander asked curiously. Methos shook his head "No, if it comes to that, I will grant her that mercy. I'm going to set out and look for her." He said. 

Everyone was shocked to hear him say that he would take her head if it came to it, but they agreed with the other thing, they found it a good idea to search for her. "We agree." Ethan said aloud "The resources of the watchers are at your disposal Methos." He said offering his aid to their mission. 

Methos nodded as he looked to the group "I could use some help." He said to them, looking for anyone who would volunteer to help him. "I'll come with you Methos." Cordellia said as she stood up and walked over to him. Everyone else kept silent until Giles stood up "As will I, Buffy said she couldn't call a father, I disagree with my daughter." He said poetically.

"Ok, we can look after Dawn then." Xander said as Anya nodded along with his decision, she enjoyed Dawns company, so it was a sure thing with her.

Methos nodded "Alright, anyone else?" he asked, seeing as Giles, Cordellia and he were open for one more person. "We will." Faith said as Catherine walked in beside her with her arms over her lovers shoulder, helping her up. Ethan immediately objected "What? But then the Hellmouth will be unguarded without a slayer." He said urgently.

"I can hold the fort with the others." Willow said, standing up to Ethan with a feeling of greater authority. Ethan though over about Willow, she was a powerful witch, and Tara and she had taken on most of the demons out in that street battle a few months back "Very well." He said "Our people will be on stand by if they are needed." He said.

"Alright then, we leave within the week." Methos said as he found himself with one more than expected, but she was more than welcome. Methos walked out the door as Cordellia followed him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Cordellia asked as she saw him lean back against the wall and nearly break down before her. Methos shook his head and took hold of her, hugging her tightly "I don't think I could take her head." He said, breaking down in her arms. Cordellia held him and she heard small sounds of his cried break through "Shhhhh, it's ok, it won't come to that." She said. She only hoped it was the truth.

__

Elsewhere

~ _I go where the wind takes me now, Where I go I know I'll be needed, my life has taken its turn for the worse, and now I have to find a way back out of this pit of darkness and evil that has devoured me. _

My destiny still remains unchanged, I am the slayer, one of the chosen now. 

Buffy closed her notebook and stowed it in her bag on the empty seat next to her on the bus. She just chose a random place to go and got on the bus. She knew that the road ahead of her was a long one. '_Years to go, miles to walk' _she thought to herself. But for now, she just had to take the first few steps. 

"May the powers that be guide me." She whispered to herself as the bus sped on out of California and to where ever the wind took her.

End 

Note: Ok everyone, this is it for this series, I'm now writing the following sequel. The name is still not quite decided, but you'll see it if you have me on author alert! '**Miles to Atonement**' is what I'm aiming for, each chapter will be a story crossover with another show or movie, so I hope you'll enjoy them, I posted what shows I have for sure so far in the last part. 

So I hope you'll keep with me when I start it up! I love you all for reading my story and reviewing it with great words and that gives me a lot of confidence to write more! J 

So, Hope to hear from oyu all very soon!

Later

Marcus


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